FEATURE ARTICLES

Investing in research of the patient experience is key to a sustainable provision of healthcare in the UK. The Clinical Services Journal reports on a programme by South Tyneside District Hospital endoscopy team which will ultimately help to create an improved service for patients.

Each year, the EM Cottrell lecture takes place at the Infection Prevention Society conference in honour of the first ‘whole-time infection control sister’. This year the EM Cottrell lecture was delivered by Dr Evonne Curran, nurse consultant infection control, Health Protection Scotland, on the theme: The times they are a changing. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

At the recent Infection Prevention annual conference, held in Glasgow, Scotland, efforts to reduce surgical site infection were high on the agenda. KATE WOODHEAD, RGN DMS reports.

The Infection Prevention Society annual conference discussed the latest issues affecting public health and patient safety. This year, the event took place in Glasgow, offering an opportunity to shed light on Scotland’s initiatives to reduce heathcare-associated infection, as well as best practice from across the UK. One of the key questions debated included: can we get to zero? LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

NHS England estimates that the gap in NHS funding will hit £30 billion by 2021 while, in the short term, new figures show that 80% of acute Trusts reported a deficit – prompting intense debate over the need for increased investment and transformational change.

SUZANNE CALLANDER reports on the benefits offered by the use of a molecular assay technique to identify respiratory viruses.

There is a growing call for the development of childhood cancer treatments to come into line with those of adult cancers. To allow this to happen, current loopholes in the EU Paediatric Regulation need to be tightened. SUZANNE CALLANDER reports.

The latest end of life audit shows there is significant room for improvement in the way hospitals care for dying patients. However, a new approach to end of life care has been announced which aims to address some of the key problems identified in recent years.

JULIE GILLSON and GAIL LOWDON provide an insight into how the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust reduced its infection rate within the orthopaedic department and developed a robust surgical site infection surveillance service.

GAMA HEALTHCARE provides comprehensive aftercare support. Its IPS accredited, state-of-the-art training package is delivered via a free 10” tablet and is a fun, informative and rewarding introduction to environmental cleaning.

ADVANCED STERILIZATION PRODUCTS (ASP), a division of Cilag International GmbH, a Johnson & Johnson company, offers a suite of sterilization and disinfection solutions.

HYGIENA INTERNATIONAL is a global leader for the manufacture and supply of rapid detection systems for the measurement of contamination and microbial risk management.

The Healthcare Infection Society’s 9th International Conference takes place 16-18 November 2014 in Lyon, France. The Clinical Services Journal provides an overview of some of the key conference themes and innovations being highlighted at the event.

Delegates and speakers from the UK and abroad attended the annual scientific meeting of the United Kingdom National External Quality Assessment Service (UK NEQAS) for Blood Coagulation. PETER COTTON provides an insight into the key themes.

The recent Welch Allyn educational symposium provided an insight into the changing demands placed on those tasked with delivering effective medical device management. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recently held its annual Congress in Barcelona. The Clinical Services Journal reports on some of the event highlights.

The Clinical Services Journal reports on the findings of a recent report from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, which offers an overview of biomedical engineering in the UK, and looks at the increasing role of technology and biomedical engineers in the NHS.

Following recommendations from Robert Francis on how the inspection and regulation of hospitals could be made clearer and more robust, the Department of Health England consulted earlier this year on how those regulations might look. KATE WOODHEAD RGN DMS, reports.

Charles Gore, chief executive of the Hepatitis C Trust, recently commented that eradication of hepatitis C (HCV) in the UK is a realistic goal. However, only half of those infected know they have it and deaths from HCV continue to rise. With only 3% of the chronically infected population accessing treatment each year, efforts to tackle the disease must improve. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

The Clinical Services Journal takes a look at how technology developments are helping to reduce the possibility of patient-safety incidents in infusion pumps, which are ubiquitous devices in the healthcare sector.