RECENT NEWS

GPs’ lack of involvement in maternity care is undermining the care of pregnant women and their families, according to a report published for The King’s Fund’s Inquiry into the Quality of General Practice in England.

Deaths from heart and circulatory disease have fallen dramatically in the last decade, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. Circulatory diseases, such as heart disease, remain the most common major cause of death.

The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has issued guidance to NHS organisations across England and Wales to ensure that a patient’s weight is known and documented before medication is given to treat blood clots. Doses of the injectable medicines, known as low molecular weight heparins (LMWH), are used to thin the blood to aid circulation.

The all-in-one BARD Comprehensive Care Foley Tray, that provides all the essential items required for a catheterisation or recatheterisation procedure, is now available with the Bardex I.C anti-infective Foley catheter. The catheter, with Bacti-Guard silver alloy coating, helps reduce CAUTIs by more than a third and its advantages are supported by a wide range of clinical studies.

More than 80 percent of visitors to the Medica stand at UKRC said they believe that teleradiology should be regulated. The poll was taken as part of a 'Join The Debate' theme on the stand which featured live panel discussions (broadcast to a large screen on the outside of the stand), themed 'pods' where people could vote on the big issues of the day and a live 'blogpoint' where visitors could make instant contributions.

There is a need to remove endoscope reprocessing from treatment areas and to ensure that it is performed in dedicated facilities by specialist staff, decontamination experts argue. The question of how the specification of facilities and equipment can be optimised, on a local basis, to ensure best practice is covered in a workshop and study day organised by Schulke UK and chaired by Paul Jenkins, Decontamination Manager, North Bristol NHS Trust.

Next month, the doors will open on the Infection Prevention Society (IPS) conference and exhibition. Following on from the successful 2009 conference in Harrogate, the event is moving to Bournemouth for two years

The 46th AfPP (Association for Perioperative Practice) Congress and Exhibition is now just weeks away and interest from both delegates and visitors is hotting up. Having listened closely to the needs of healthcare professionals, a thought-provoking programme of speakers and educational workshops has been organised – tackling the most topical issues affecting perioperative practitioners and assisting with important areas of skills development.

AfPP is aiming to further enhance the exhibitor and delegate experience at the event with the launch of the new Innovation Awards, which will celebrate innovation on the show floor.

Scientists have reported new findings in the development of anti-bacterial materials that could help in the fight against infections. A team at Nottingham Trent University has developed a method of making very small particles of gold with an antibiotic, which when tested, were shown to be extremely potent in neutralising dangerous bacteria, such as Escherichia Coli (E.Coli).

New findings published by the National Patient Safety Agency show greater numbers of hospitals are treating their patients in cleaner, better maintained environments. The Patient Environment Action Teams (PEAT) programme assesses all hospitals and inpatient units with 10 or more beds.

Pressure ulcers can cause serious pain and severe harm to patients and cost the NHS billions of pounds each year to treat. Yet in the majority of cases they can be prevented if simple measures were followed. As part of its “10 for 2010” programme, the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) is urging NHS organisations across England and Wales to work towards preventing all pressure ulcers.

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found that the reduced effectiveness of breast screening in women in their 40s is mainly due to their tumours being harder to detect, rather than because they grow faster. Previous research has suggested that breast screening is less effective in women in their 40s than in older women.

A new national charity which aims to help the fight against cancer has been launched at Westminster. ACORRN (Academic Clinical Oncology and Radiobiology Research Network) – Action Radiotherapy wants to raise £5m to improve radiotherapy treatment for patients.

Employers in the NHS are being urged to build a culture where staff are able to expose bad practice. A new guide, Speak up for a Healthy NHS, will advise employers how to set up arrangements to ensure staff feel comfortable and secure if they want to report bad practice.

Childhood cancer survivors may have an increased risk of death from other forms of cancer, cardiac and cerebrovascular causes more than 25 years after their initial illness, UK scientists have found.

Health and social care organisations are continuing to develop systems and services to manage controlled drugs more effectively and to share information on concerns and best practice at a local and national level, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has reported.

The urology team at Musgrove Park Hospital is celebrating following news that they have reached the Paris finals of a prestigious international award for their work with the new Mediplus Suprapubic Foley Catheter.

NHS Central Lancashire’s community matrons have introduced an innovative remote patient care management tool to help chronically ill patients monitor and manage their health at home and remain independent for longer.

Healthcare company, B.Braun Medical, has made a substantial donation of surgical instruments to the Royal College of Surgeons (RCOS).