FEATURE ARTICLES

The annual congress of the Association for Perioperative Practice will provide a focus on the key issues faced by perioperative teams. High on the agenda will be the need to ensure patient safety, within the context of a changing healthcare landscape.

Fire involving the use of alcoholic skin preparation is devastating when it occurs and inevitably raises questions about patient safety. The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) offers some important guidance on reducing the risk of injury.

More timely, accurate data capture can enhance a hospital’s competitive advantage says MARTIN POPPELAARS. It can also allow nurses to spend more time with patients, helping to improve patient outcome.

Dr TIM SANDLE addresses the first stage of endoscope cleaning through the use of detergents. Without adequate cleaning, the disinfection stage will not be successful and the risk of microbial survival becomes greater.

In the light of recent approval by NICE of the anti-clotting agent dabigatran, for use in NHS patients with atrial fibrillation, The Clinical Services Journal examines the impact this will have on anticoagulation therapy.

The Clinical Services Journal reports on the findings of the first ever annual report from the Health Secretary on performance across the health service.

There have been some exciting advances reported in the development of new therapies for Hepatitis C, but detection of the virus must improve to halt the rising numbers of preventable deaths. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

At a meeting to discuss patient safety and older people, hosted by the Royal Society of Medicine, Dr James George spoke about the issues surrounding delirium, dementia and patient safety. SUZANNE CALLANDER reports.

SUZANNE CALLANDER reports on the winning entries of the inaugural HAI WATCHDOG Awards, which aim to reward and recognise individuals and teams who are championing infection prevention in UK hospitals.

NHS hospitals and clinics in the UK will soon have a new range of state-of-theart infection prevention products available from NHS Supply Chain.

KATE WOODHEAD RGN DMS argues that there is a need to improve current NHS procurement strategies to ensure greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Dr TERRY O’BRIEN calls for the wider adoption of haemodynamic monitoring for high-risk surgery patients. He examines the mounting evidence base and highlights the latest developments in intra-operative monitoring.

In the UK, Pseudomonas is the cause of around 10% of nosocomial infections and is one of the most common causes of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). A recent masterclass on waterborne diseases, held in Nottingham, highlighted the risks for healthcare-associated infection, as well as offering guidance aimed at preventing transmission. SUSAN PEARSON reports.

Sterile services departments require large volumes of high purity water to ensure a consistent supply of clean, sterilised equipment throughout the hospital. MARK BOSLEY explains how the contamination challenges facing hospital staff today can be addressed by modern water purification technology.

MELISSA ROCHON BSc Hons (Nursing) discusses the importance of robust, local surgical site infection surveillance in driving improvements in clinical practice and patient outcomes.

Thermography is now being used to aid detection of small nerve fibre dysfunction in diabetics, to help clinicians determine the effectiveness of local anaesthetic, as well as improve patient care for burns victims. The Clinical Services Journal takes a look at some of the latest pioneering uses of the technology.

The Clinical Services Journal reports on the current situation regarding the quality of care for IBD patients across the UK – both adults and children – and finds out what IBD inpatients felt about their hospital experience.

Haemorrhage remains a leading cause of mortality, following trauma. Survival could be significantly improved by optimising early resuscitation procedures. LOUISE FRAMPTON reports.

The Clinical Services Journal reports on the findings of a recent NCEPOD study that reviewed the care received by patients who had a CPR attempt following a cardiac arrest in hospital.

SUZANNE CALLANDER reports on a new and developing role in the UK – the Physicians’ Assistant (Anaesthesia). Although the focus of some resistance from consultants, the role has now become part of a successful anaesthesia delivery model for some Trusts.