FEATURE ARTICLES

Delegates attending this year’s Theatres & Decontamination Conference heard about a focus on driving improvements in patient safety and efficiency.

Care quality and patient safety benefits are being realised after the introduction of an electronic early warning system at St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

John Timmons, head of clinical services at Activa Healthcare, discusses approaches to the management of chronic wounds and highlights the importance of effective wound bed preparation.

This case study examines the changes made to Warwick Hospital’s Endoscopy and Decontamination Department and how they’ve helped the Trust cope with increasing demands on the service.

Fortius Group, the UK’s leading private orthopaedic and sports injury group, has opened a new state-of-the-art day surgery centre in central London. The Clinical Services Journal editor Alec Peachey was invited to take a look around.

The financial pressures facing the NHS are continuing to affect patient care, according to a new report by The King’s Fund. Editor Alec Peachey attended the launch of ‘Understanding NHS financial pressures’ and reports on its key findings.

Technical editor Kate Woodhead takes an in-depth look at the report ‘Next steps on the NHS Five Year Forward View’ and what it means for the sector.

Malnutrition remains a major healthcare problem affecting a significant number of patients admitted to UK hospitals and care homes. Dr Ailsa Brotherton, chair of the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) Quality and Safety Committee, provides an insight into best practice measures in nutritional care.

A study involving intensivists from 90 ICUs in northwest Europe has confirmed significant variability in glycaemic control practice. The Clinical Services Journal reports.

Professor Bob Jarman, a consultant in emergency medicine, discusses how to develop a culture where ultrasound becomes the de factostandard in emergency care – providing an insight into the benefits and the barriers that need to be overcome.

The EBME seminar is an independent educational event bringing together healthcare professionals that are responsible for the management of medical equipment. EBME chairman Dr John Sandham, CEng, FIHEEM, MIET, discusses what to expect.

According to the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death, the failure to integrate physical and mental healthcare by hospitals means patients with mental health issues get poor care.

CSJ speaks to UK-based Mediplus, a specialist in pelvic floor treatments, about incontinence in women, the associated risks with surgical mesh and how they can be eliminated by using non-surgical treatments.

High on the agenda at the Knowlex Infection Prevention & Control conference was the need to tackle gram negative infections and the rising threat posed by antimicrobial resistance. Louise Frampton reports.

Antimicrobial resistance is an increasingly serious threat to global public health, requiring action across government and society. The consequences of superbugs spreading through hospitals are extremely serious, but help is at hand, says Mike Sullivan, managing director of GOJO Industries-Europe.

Clinical and medical engineering teams face a daily battle to locate equipment. A white paper from Harland Simon explains the benefits of using RFID technology to track and manage medical devices.

Kate Woodhead considers how staffing issues within the NHS can be addressed.

Surgical site infections cost the NHS around £758 million every year and contribute to the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance. Suzanne Callander finds out how the use of incise drapes can help reduce the risk of infection.

Stuart Campbell, clinical sales development manager of the neurological products division, at Renishaw, discusses key trends in the use of robotics in neurosurgery.

The Clinical Services Journal looks at the challenges and priorities which must be addressed to achieve more integrated, effective and sustainable care, as outlined by the NHS Confederation.