FEATURE ARTICLES

Peter Sedman, from the Confederation of British Surgery, discusses the case for surgical hubs and highlights some of the successes that have been achieved, using this approach, across the UK.

An ‘Essential guide to medical equipment principles’, has been launched to help new clinical engineers, junior nurses, medics and operating department practitioners (ODPs) understand the fundamentals of many of the standard medical devices they will encounter in a hospital environment.

The first gathering of the ‘EBME Expo Leaders Network’ brought together a select group of influential leaders from the healthcare technology (HealthTech) industry, at the Cinnamon Club, in Westminster, to drive innovation and to collaborate on achieving key objectives in the field of EBME. This Special Report outlines the key issues raised.

Professor John Sandham, Chair of the EBME Expo, highlights the event’s focus on practical knowledge and best practices in technology management, acquisition, connectivity, use, and maintenance. The Expo aims to demonstrate how optimised healthcare technology contributes directly to NHS productivity, cost-effectiveness and, most importantly, enhanced patient safety.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust’s Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Team provide an insight into patient-reported SSI surveillance, using the latest smart-phone technology. The team have identified ‘five pillars of post-discharge surveillance’, as part of the ‘SWIFT’ approach (Smart, Well-connected, Inclusive, Flexible, and Therapeutics).

Your practice, your robot, your choice: meet Versius, the surgical robot designed for you…

At the recent OneTogether conference held at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham, insights were shared by experts and professionals interested in reducing the occurrence of surgical site infection. Kate Woodhead RGN DMS provides an overview of some of key learning points shared at the event.

Could on-demand services play a pivotal role in future-proofing endoscopy workflows? A new model for loan endoscopes has been launched in Australia and has the potential to be rolled out across the globe, in the near future. This article looks at how the initiative aims to maintain high infection control standards, while reducing operational burdens.

The Institute of Decontamination Sciences’ annual scientific conference took place at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel, bringing together decontamination scientists and experts from across the UK. IDSc Chair, Trevor Garcia, emphasised the vital need for education for the decontamination sector and the importance of attending events such as the annual conference.

Executive Chair of InnoScot Health, Graham Watson offers an insight into the innovation taking place to transform NHS operating theatres for a smarter, more efficient healthcare future.

A key objective of the new UK Procurement Bill is to promote transparency, competition and sustainable procurement. Mark Roberts, UK Public Sector Director at Jaggaer, outlines what the bill will mean for the NHS and provides an overview of the key challenges ahead.

Nanosonics provide an insight into high-level disinfection of ultrasound probes, including the important factors that need to be taken into consideration to ensure effective results. In this article, they highlight the latest innovative technology that can help protect patients, staff and your equipment.

Sojin Mappidecheri, Tom Brophy and Jonathan Reeves discuss the findings of an in-house quality assurance programme at Barts Health NHS. They highlight the importance of ensuring the correct sizing of surgical instruments and discuss the need to move to a standardised approach to measuring instrument dimensions, across the industry.

The GS1 UK Healthcare Conference 2025 is leading the charge for a safer, smarter and more connected health service. The Clinical Services Journal provides an insight into this year’s hot topics at the conference, the keynote speakers and the progress that has been achieved across UK Trusts.

This April, Knowlex is hosting four essential conferences dedicated to advancing healthcare through infection prevention, patient safety, and innovation. Taking place over two days at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham, these events will bring together leading experts, groundbreaking research, and the latest advancements to address key challenges in infection control, sepsis management, mental health infection prevention, and decontamination and sterilisation.

Jennifer Moncur, National Lead for Diagnostic Imaging at Nuffield Health, provides an insight into the organisation’s £200m collaboration with GE HealthCare, which aims to expand diagnostic capacity through access to innovative, AI-driven technologies.

Oliver Tierney, the new President of The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP),the UK’s leading membership organisation dedicated to hospital theatre practitioners and improving perioperative care, has stepped into the role with a clear vision: to influence positive change in healthcare and safety in hospital operating theatres for staff and patients.

Effective communication is essential for a smooth day in the operating theatre. It also plays a vital role in preventing patient harm, minimising never events, and reducing human error. Dora Bilan examines aspects of intraoperative communication – specifically focusing on the contribution and expertise of neurodiverse individuals, and analysing the surgical team behaviour.

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS discusses the opportunities and challenges associated with the vision of moving healthcare away from hospitals and into the community. She highlights some of the schemes that are already in place and outlines some of the main considerations.

A free webinar was recently hosted on the ‘Consensus Guidelines for Best Practices in the Selection and Use of Examination Gloves in Healthcare Settings’, developed by leading IPC associations in Portugal. In this article, we outline the main findings, which can be shared across countries, including the UK, to drive improvement.