RECENT NEWS
NICE shared learning awards
The NICE Shared Learning Awards are returning in 2020 to celebrate the work of organisations and individuals who put NICE guidance and quality standards into practice to improve services.- News
Lack of beds halting operations, surgeons warn
A survey by the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS) has revealed that nearly eight in ten surgeons have been unable to operate due to a lack of beds.- News
Releasing artificially-infected mosquitoes could cut global dengue cases by 90%
International researchers from Imperial College London, the University of California and University of Florida, have highlighted the potential to dramatically cut the rate of Dengue transmission.- News
New £58.7 million funding boost for research to protect the health of the nation
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has announced a £58.7 million research investment to protect the public from health threats such as antimicrobial resistance, air pollution and infectious diseases.- News
Study shows sepsis rates double previous estimates
A new study, the most comprehensive to date, on the incidence of sepsis and sepsis deaths, was published recently in The Lancet. It confirms that the actual rates are double those previously estimated, and that 20% of global deaths are due to this under-reported but deadly condition.- News
Robocath completes first robotic coronary angioplasties
Robocath, a company that designs cardiovascular robotic systems for the treatment of vascular diseases, has announced it has successfully completed its first robotic coronary angioplasties.- News
New study confirms success of MenB vaccine in the UK
A new study by Public Health England (PHE) shows that infant vaccination against group B meningococcal disease (MenB) has resulted in a significant decline in cases of the disease in young children since the programme was introduced. The research was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.- News
Call for new guideline adoption to get medicines to patients faster
Complex Innovative Design (CID) trials could be transformed for the better, following the publication of recommendations, published in the British Journal of Cancer. The authors believe, if implemented, the ten recommendations they’ve developed for CID trials could ultimately reduce the time it takes to get innovative treatments to patients with cancer.- News
Hull hospitals invest in new environmental monitoring systems for operating theatres
Hospital theatres in the Hull area are tackling the risk of surgical site infection with the use of specialist air sampling technology from Cherwell Laboratories.- News
Patient wins settlement for injury caused by 'never event'
A dad left permanently disabled after a hospital wrongly flushed food into his lung has called for lessons to be learned from his case. Michael Moy had liquid administered into his right lung instead of his stomach on at least two occasions after staff did not check the position of his feeding tube before commencing his feed.- News
Roll-out of new cervical screening test will save more lives
Hundreds of lives could be saved each year in England, following the introduction of a more sensitive cervical screening test.- News
Nutrition: a forgotten aspect of surgical care?
Kate Woodhead RGN DMS has warned that insufficient attention is paid to the consequences of dietary intake, for patients undergoing surgery. In the January edition of The Clinical Services Journal, she highlights the need to assess and manage patients' nutrition to improve surgical outcomes.- News
Brexit could drive strategic partnerships with Middle Eastern healthcare
As Britain leaves the European Union on 31 January, building links with global markets, the Middle East in particular, will be a key focus for UK healthcare companies.- News
Diabetes drug may help prevent recurrent miscarriage
An NIHR-supported study has found that an existing diabetes drug can be used to optimise the lining of the womb and reduce the risk of miscarriage in women who have already experienced pregnancy loss.- News
Report highlights common ‘never event’ that leaves women at risk of harm after childbirth
All too often, retained swabs are leaving women at risk of infection after childbirth and more action is required to tackle the occurrence of this 'never event'. The safety risk has been highlighted by a new report by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB).- News
Targeted screening could prevent one in six prostate cancer deaths
Nearly one in six deaths from prostate cancer could be prevented if targeted screening was introduced for men at a higher genetic risk of the disease, according to a new UCL-led computer modelling study.- News
Bandage material helps stop bleeding without adhering to the wound
Scientists from ETH Zurich and the National University of Singapore have applied for a patent for a new blood-repellant material that also promotes blood-clotting and has an antimicrobial effect. The breakthrough could improve wound care and reduce the risk of infection, the researchers claim.- News
Smartphone technology could speed up UTI diagnosis
Biological Engineers at the University of Bath have developed a test that could help medics quickly diagnose urinary tract infections (UTIs), using a normal smartphone camera.- News
Government to provide £40m fund to tackle staff concerns over IT inefficiencies
The government has announced it will provide £40 million to transform slow login times, one of the main technology frustrations facing NHS staff.- News
Empowering BAME communities to engage with 'living donation'
A 'Living Transplant Initiative' aimed at Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities has had another successful year of engagement. NHS Blood and Transplant's latest annual report shows that more people, in more towns and cities, were engaged with the Initiative’s work than ever before.- News
