The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) is a registered charity whose vision and mission is to promote the highest standards of perioperative practice. New managing director, DAWN STOTT, and head of events, JOANNA RIPLEY discuss the reasons why they are committed to ensuring that AfPP – and its flagship event AfPP2010 – provide an influential voice in driving forward improvements in patient care.
How is AfPP and its membership influencing perioperative care?
Dawn Stott (DS): AfPP has around 8,000 members throughout the UK and overseas. It accounts for around 30% to 40% of all nurses and about 10% of operating department practitioners working in theatres. The knowledge and expertise of our membership is our greatest resource and we continue to harness that knowledge and enthusiasm to bring about real change in the perioperative arena by influencing healthcare decisions, commenting on research and producing publications that support the environment. Our membership covers all areas of the perioperative environment which means we have a massive infrastructure of knowledge and expertise to call on – as and when required. Our aim is to determine standards and promote best practice in perioperative care; facilitate education and practice development; provide advice to practitioners delivering perioperative care; share information and ideas among practitioners in perioperative care, and pharmaceutical and medical device companies; and act as a consultative body on perioperative care and practice to Government departments and other public and private institutions. AfPP has proven particularly influential in driving forward the patient safety agenda and we have reported progress in a number of areas, such as:
• Implementation of the surgical site check list.
• Membership of the national clinical safety board.
• Obstetric patient care consensus statement in liaison with the College of Operating Department Practitioners and Royal College of Midwives.
• Publication of a theatre support tool kit providing advice to perioperative practitioners relating to relocations of sterilising services.
• Joint event at Congress promoting non-technical skills for perioperative practitioners.
Log in or register FREE to read the rest
This story is Premium Content and is only available to registered users. Please log in at the top of the page to view the full text.
If you don't already have an account, please register with us completely free of charge.
