FEATURE ARTICLES

Healthcare workers (HCWs) need to protect themselves first, in order to provide quality, safe care to patients. As a result, there is an urgent need to support the safe donning and doffing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Antimicrobial coatings could provide an innovative addition to existing infection prevention and control programmes. Jade Pallett calls for further investigation into their potential within the healthcare setting.

Dr. Terri Porrett and Karen Tomlin highlight the results of a survey of ostomy and continence care teams and reveal how the pandemic has impacted staff and services.

‘TRexit’ is a national initiative that could see a move away from transrectal (TRUS) biopsy, requiring an anaesthetic, to performing transperineal biopsy under local anaesthetic.

Evidence suggests that antimicrobial sutures can significantly reduce rates of surgical site infection and should be a key component of a care bundle to prevent SSIs. So how can we overcome potential barriers to adoption & is the extra cost worth it?

A Committee of MPs has warned that workforce burnout presents an “extraordinarily dangerous risk” to the functioning of health & social care. The findings of the report, which are summarised here, reveal the situation has reached “emergency levels'

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS discusses the prevalence of never events in theatres, the barriers to safer surgery and the strategies that can drive improvement.

In the background of COVID-19, there is another silent pandemic growing – the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The COVID-19 outbreak has seen a surge in products claiming to be ‘effective at killing the Sars-Cov-2 virus’. However, many common disinfectant solutions making this bold claim may not be as effective as people are led to believe.

Sara Dalmasso reflects how automating the medication management process has been supporting hospitals during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Christopher Ogden provides an overview of the Unique Device Identification regulations, what they mean for hospitals and the options that can be considered.

Consultant gastroenterologist, Rehan Haidry, provides an insight into a minimally invasive device that could help improve cancer detection, while reducing the need for aerosol-generating endoscopies.

A new report by the Medical Technology Group (MTG) recommends a new model for adoption of innovative treatments and calls for medical technologies to be fast-tracked in the same way as pharmaceuticals.

Richard O’Brien, commercial director, healthcare and hospitality, at Elis, examines the impact of the pandemic and what this means for surgical textiles and reusable PPE.

Anne Blackwood, chief executive, Health Enterprise East (HEE) provides an insight into an innovative imaging device that uses artificial intelligence to provide safer resection of brain tumours.

Yvonne Carter believes that temporary isolation solutions could provide the answer to address COVID-19 transmission in hospitals, as well as to contain other healthcare-associated infections, in the future.

At a new, state-of-the-art specialist and critical care centre in South Wales, an advanced patient monitoring solution is supporting care for some of the most critically ill patients.

Haroon Waqar-Uddin explores the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on ICUs, with particular emphasis on infection prevention and control, and the evolution of personal protective equipment (PPE) in response to nosocomial infection.

As the process of decommissioning starts, thousands of pieces of equipment need to be moved – but where to? Matthew Pinder discusses the potential strategies.

Drawing on the latest evidence, Caroline Fallon and Mary Muir provide a critical evaluation of patient safety challenges and strategies for reducing harm.