Orthopaedic Surgery Innovations

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Orthopaedic surgery has seen remarkable advancements in recent years, revolutionizing the way we approach musculoskeletal disorders and injuries.

From minimally invasive techniques to cutting-edge technologies, the field of orthopaedics is at the forefront of medical innovation. This article explores some of the groundbreaking developments that have transformed orthopaedic surgery, enhancing patient outcomes and redefining the standard of care.

Minimally Invasive Surgery:

Traditionally, orthopaedic surgeries involved large incisions, leading to extended recovery times and increased risks of complications. However, the advent of minimally invasive techniques has drastically changed the landscape of orthopaedic surgery. Procedures like arthroscopy enable surgeons to visualize, diagnose, and treat joint problems through small incisions, reducing tissue damage and promoting faster healing. This approach has become particularly popular in joint replacement surgeries, such as knee and hip replacements, allowing for shorter hospital stays and quicker rehabilitation.

3D Printing Technology:

The integration of 3D printing technology has opened new avenues in orthopaedic surgery. Customized implants and prosthetics can now be created based on a patient’s unique anatomy, enhancing the precision and fit of the devices. Surgeons can use 3D-printed models of a patient’s bones to plan and practice complex procedures before entering the operating room, improving surgical accuracy and reducing complications. This personalized approach has significantly improved the overall success rates of orthopaedic surgeries.

Robotics and Navigation Systems:

Robotic-assisted surgery has gained traction in orthopaedics, providing surgeons with enhanced precision and control. Robotic systems are employed in joint replacement surgeries, allowing for more accurate implant placement and alignment. Additionally, navigation systems use computer-assisted technology to guide surgeons during procedures, ensuring optimal outcomes. These technologies not only improve the surgeon’s capabilities but also contribute to faster recovery times and reduced postoperative pain for patients.

Biological Therapies:

The field of orthopaedic surgery has seen a surge in biological therapies aimed at promoting tissue regeneration and healing. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell therapies are being explored as alternatives to traditional treatments for conditions such as osteoarthritis and tendon injuries. These approaches harness the body’s natural healing mechanisms, accelerating the recovery process and potentially avoiding the need for more invasive interventions.

Smart Implants and Wearable Technology:

Advancements in materials science and technology have led to the development of smart implants equipped with sensors that monitor various parameters, such as load distribution and joint movement. These implants provide real-time data to both patients and healthcare providers, allowing for personalized treatment plans and early detection of potential issues. Additionally, wearable technology, such as smart braces and exoskeletons, aids in rehabilitation by providing feedback and support to patients recovering from orthopaedic surgeries.

The future if orthopaedic surgery

The landscape of orthopaedic surgery is continually evolving, driven by groundbreaking innovations that prioritize patient outcomes, minimize invasiveness, and enhance surgical precision. From 3D printing to robotics and biological therapies, these advancements are reshaping the future of orthopaedics.

As technology continues to progress, we can expect even more transformative developments that will further improve the quality of life for individuals with musculoskeletal conditions.

How we can help you

Cairn Technology supplies a range of handcrafted instruments for orthopaedic surgery that are warrantied for 30 years of use. To view the Stille range of orthopaedic surgical instruments click here.

Or if you are tired of getting wet feet during orthopaedic procedures, click here to take a look at our range of absorbent mats to help you quickly remove spills for rapid operating theatre turnaround.

 

 

Bodily Fluid Clean Up Procedure

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In all healthcare settings, bodily fluids are a major vector for spreading harmful pathogens. For this reason, an effective bodily fluid clean up procedure is one of the 10 Standard Infection Control Precautions (SICP).

In this post we will outline the advised bodily fluid clean up procedure while also discussing certain solutions that will help you stay on top of your infection prevention duties without compromising on your operational efficiency.

Potentially Hazardous Bodily Fluids in Healthcare Settings

Any bodily fluid can contain germs which can cause infection. Because it’s not always clear whether a person has an infection, you should take adequate precautions wherever you might encounter:

  • Blood
  • Faeces
  • Saliva
  • Vomit
  • Nasal discharges
  • Urine

The Bodily Fluid Clean Up Procedure

  • You should clean up any bodily fluid spillages immediately.
  • Wear adequate PPE. You should always wear gloves. If there’s a risk of splashing, also wear an apron. Assess the need for facial and eye protection depending on the circumstances.
  • Choose the right cleaning product. The best cleaning products for bodily fluids combine detergent and disinfectant, making them effective against both viruses and bacteria. If this is not possible, clean with a detergent first, followed by a disinfectant. Browse our range of hospital-grade cleaning products.
  • Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and take care not to use any products that are unsuitable for the body fluid you’re cleaning. For example, if the cleaning product contains any trace of chlorine, then it cannot be used to clean urine.
  • Use disposable paper towels or cloths, and dispose of them immediately and safely after use, in the correct waste stream.
  • Always have specialist spillage kits on hand so you can safely and quickly clean high-risk bodily fluids including blood, vomit, and urine.

Access the official NHS safe management of blood and body fluids guidelines.

Speciality Bodily Fluid Spill Kits

We stock a range of specialist spill kits for healthcare settings. Our range includes bodily fluid spill kits  to effectively clean and decontaminate affected areas.

Browse our full range of spill kits.

We also offer detailed training to help your staff understand and respond to the spill risks they face in their work. Get in touch for more information.

How To Make Your Fluid Control More Effective in a Healthcare Setting

When it comes to spillages of bodily fluids, effective infection prevention and control depends on acting as quickly as possible. Our spill kits can make a huge difference here, and we also stock an advanced range of absorbent floor mats for hospitals and other healthcare settings.

Our absorbent mats will help you optimise your fluid management for dependable infection prevention and control. They will also help you avoid additional health and safety risks, such as slips and trips, while greatly optimising your turnaround times.

For example, our T-Mat absorbent floor mat can absorb up to 8.5 litres of water or 3.5 litres of saline. It gels liquids in minutes, binding the fluid hygienically and becoming dry to the touch. This means you can quickly, easily, and safely dispose of the mat in the appropriate clinical waste stream.

Browse our full range of bodily fluid management solutions for hospitals and other healthcare settings.

 

UK NHS Waiting List Targets – Where Are We?

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Following the global pandemic, a number of enforced government lockdowns, and a few other factors, patients across the UK are currently facing long waiting lists for even the most routine of treatments.

In this post we’ll review the NHS waiting list situation across the UK and explore how the government are progressing on their targets to address the issue.

UK NHS Waiting Lists in 2022 – A Brief Review

Nearly a year ago, we assessed the current state of the NHS backlog. Based on British Medical Association figures, there were:

  • Over 6.84 million people waiting for treatment.
  • 7 million patients waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment (the NHS’s self-imposed “maximum waiting time”).
  • Nearly 400,000 patients waiting more than a year for treatment.
  • A median waiting time of around 13.3 weeks for all treatments.

At the same time, the BMA referred to a “hidden backlog” of patients needing care who had not yet found their way into the health system.

Are NHS Waiting Lists Getting Worse?

Unfortunately, all signs indicate that across the UK, NHS waiting lists are getting worse. More recently, we covered how it’s not just waiting lists that are getting longer. UK patients are also facing excessive waits to see ambulances. In one extreme case, an 85 year old woman had to wait a total of 40 hours to get to A&E.

UK NHS Waiting Lists in 2023 – Where Are We Now?

As we’ve seen, in mid-2022 there were around 6.84 million people waiting to start routine hospital treatment in England alone. As of September 2023, it seems the figure for England has risen to 7.68 million people, a further rise from the 7.57 million people who were waiting for treatment in June 2023.

For England, this is the biggest the waiting list has ever been since records began in 2007.

The latest data shows that:

  • 389,952 people in England have been waiting more than 52 weeks to start routine hospital treatment.
  • By the end of July 2023, 7,289 people in England had been waiting more than 19 months to start routine treatment.
  • The proportion of cancer patients who were able to see a specialist within two weeks of urgent referral fell from 80.5% in June 2023, to 77.5% in July. The NHS’s target is 93%.
  • In A&E, 73% of patients are being seen within four hours. The NHS set a standard of 95%, and the government set a “recovery target” of 73%.

In Wales, around 30,000 people have been waiting more than two years for hospital treatment. Scotland and Northern Ireland differ in how they define their waiting lists. But according to The Guardian, the best “broadly equivalent figures” show that around one in nine people in Scotland, and up to 36% of people in Northern Ireland, are waiting for care.

What is the Plan to Reduce UK NHS Waiting Lists?

In June 2023, the government published a 2023 mandate to NHS England. This mandate highlights long waiting lists, and long A&E and ambulance waiting times, as the key challenges currently facing the NHS. As part of the plan to address these issues, the mandate outlines “record funding”, with an investment of an additional £3.3 billion a year in 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025.

This increased funding will, they claim, “enable rapid action to improve emergency, elective, and primary care performance towards pre-pandemic levels.”

The mandate only applies to NHS England. In August 2023, health secretary Steve Barclay invited the Welsh and Scottish governments to discuss how best to tackle the NHS waiting list issue. Official counterparts in Northern Ireland were also invited to the meeting “in the absence of a functioning government”.

The aim is that the four nations can discuss how they might make their data more comparable, and how they might learn from the different approaches taken by NHS England and the devolved health authorities.

Improving Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare Settings

While we cannot help you address long waiting lists in your hospital, we can help you to improve staff safety and well-being, and reduce theatre turnaround times.

Get in touch to talk to one of our experts today.

Healthcare Estates Conference 2023 – Come see us there!

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The Healthcare Estates Conference 2023 is being held at Manchester Central this year from 10th to 11th November. And it’s promising to be a great event for estates and facilities managers in the healthcare sector.

We’ll be exhibiting on stand A57, so if you are one of our many existing customers for workplace exposure monitoring, personal sampling or chemical spill management do drop by to say hello.

If our name is completely new to you, we would also love to see you and talk to you about how we can help you.

Healthcare Estates Conference 2023 – What’s New
We are bringing a couple of new products with us to Healthcare Estates 2023 that are designed to help both staff and patients stay safe in the hospital environment.

Our Blueair Health Protect range of air purifiers are ideal for places where staff and patients congregate including waiting areas, meeting rooms, wards and restaurants.

Our Blueair air purifiers remove and kill 99% of viruses and bacteria captured in the filter. They also comprise HEPASilent technology which catches 99.97% of particles down to 0.1 microns such as viruses and bacteria. Just click here to see our full range: https://cairntechnology.com/air-purification/

Also in the spotlight at the Healthcare Estates Exhibition, will be our new Sundstrom Air Fed Hood kits. These are ideal for staff that cannot use standard respirators from our chemical spill kits. This may be due to not yet having had a proper face-fit test, or because they have facial hair which prevents effective face-fitting.

Click here for more information: https://cairntechnology.com/product/sundstrom-starter-kit/

What we can also help you with @HCEstates?

We can also talk you though our range of COSHH workplace exposure monitoring services and personal sampling for theatre, endoscopy and maternity departments. Or help you to find the right chemical spill kit and training for your needs.

Learning and Networking at the Healthcare Estates conference

Of course, we are sure that two of the main reasons that you will be attending the event are to tap into knowledge transfer and networking opportunities.

To find out more about these just visit https://www.healthcare-estates.com/ or click here to register to attend https://www.healthcare-estates.com/registration-2023/

We look forward to seeing you there!

 

What is Clinical Waste and How To Dispose of it Safely?

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In this post we’ll list some examples of clinical waste before discussing how you can safely dispose of it. We’ll also explore some solutions for fast and effective clinical waste disposal that may help you improve operational efficiency in your healthcare setting.

What is Clinical Waste?

Clinical waste is any waste that contains infectious, or potentially infectious, compounds derived from either medical treatments or biological research.

Clinical waste might also be referred to as biomedical, healthcare or hospital waste.

Examples of Clinical Waste

  • Discarded sharps. Whether they’re contaminated or not, all discarded sharps are considered medical waste, partly because they can cause injury and/or infection when they’re not properly disposed of. Examples include needles, scalpels, lancets, and any other device that could penetrate the skin.
  • Human or animal tissue. This includes identifiable body parts and organs, body fluids such as blood, and used bandages and dressings.
  • Used medical supplies. This includes any gloves or other items of PPE, whether they’ve been contaminated with body fluids or not.
  • Laboratory waste. Including unwanted microbiological cultures and stocks.
  • General waste from a medical or laboratory setting. Due to the risk of cross-contamination, any other waste that’s recognisably from a medical or laboratory setting should also be considered clinical waste and handled accordingly. Examples include packaging, unused bandages, and infusion kits.

The Risks of Clinical Waste

Many types of clinical waste carry an infection risk. Even if an item does not appear to have any visible signs of soiling, if it was used in a medical or laboratory setting, then it may be harbouring pathogens that are invisible to the naked eye. Coming into contact with clinical waste could therefore encourage the spread of communicable diseases.

Clinical waste can be harmful in other ways, too. For example, whether they’ve been used or not, discarded sharps can seriously injure anyone who comes into contact with them.

How to Safely Dispose of Clinical Waste

To protect the public and the environment, clinical waste must be processed to allow for safe handling and disposal. This usually requires incineration, to destroy any pathogens and sharps in the waste, and to make any source materials unrecognisable. Autoclaves can also be used to sterilise medical waste before it’s safe for disposal.

Clinical waste is usually disposed of in a dedicated environment using specialist equipment. As most healthcare settings and laboratories do not have the space or budget for such measures, clinical waste is usually accumulated onsite before being collected for offsite disposal.

As such, for most medical and laboratory settings, managing clinical waste is usually a case of using the right PPE to handle or clean any waste items or tissue, before disposing of the waste in the appropriate steam.

What are Waste Streams?

A standard infection control precaution is to maintain four separate waste streams, each of which is colour coded. Clinical waste should be disposed of based on the infection risk it carries. It’s classed as orange or light blue if it’s low-risk or “laboratory” waste, or yellow if it carries a high-risk of infection. Healthcare settings should also make use of sharp boxes to safely collect used sharps.

The containers for collecting and transporting clinical waste are usually designed to be as robust as possible, to prevent any tearing, spilling, and contamination. For example, rigid boxes are generally used for sharps.

Effective Clinical Waste Management for Hospitals and Other Healthcare Settings

Safely managing your clinical waste is a critical part of any infection prevention and control strategy. Certain techniques and equipment can make clinical waste management a lot safer and a lot easier, which in turn can improve your hospital’s operational efficiency.

For example, use absorbent mats to capture fluids during surgical procedures, or to contain splashes when you’re scrubbing up. The T-Mat, for example, gels liquids and becomes dry to the touch within minutes. It hygienically binds fluids, allowing for safe, quick, and easy disposal in the appropriate waste steam. Through cutting down on the time you spend cleaning and decontaminating, the T-Mat can significantly improve your turnaround time between procedures.

As well as a range of absorbent mats, we also stock a selection of clinical waste disposal kits. Our range includes the safe, sturdy and dependable Microb-in Lab waste Disposal container case, and specialist Biohazard Spill Kits and Body Fluid Spill Kits.

Get in touch to discuss how we can support you in safe and effective clinical waste management.

Operating Theatre Must-Have Equipment Checklist

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Three things are vital to delivering an efficient operating theatre:

In this post, we’ll discuss the must-have equipment for any operating theatre.

Why Does Equipment Make a Difference in Operating Theatres?

Obviously, all operating theatre procedures depend upon specialist surgical equipment. You need surgical equipment you can depend on. But it’s just as important to carefully consider the rest of the equipment you use in the operating theatre.

Between each procedure, you’ll have to clean, decontaminate, or sterilise the operating theatre environment, your surgical instruments, and your medical equipment.

Any equipment you use will either be reusable or disposable. With single-use equipment, so long as it’s adequately stored and handled, you can use it during the procedure safe in the knowledge that it’s clean and sterile, and simply dispose of it in the appropriate waste channel following the procedure. But with reusable equipment, you’ll have to take appropriate steps to ensure everything’s adequately processed before and after each procedure.

In this way, the specific equipment you choose for your operating theatre can make a huge difference to your patient outcomes, and to your turnaround time.

Your choice of equipment can also influence your operational efficiency (through reducing clutter while providing ease of access, for example), and the comfort and safety of your theatre team.

Operating Theatre Must-Have Equipment Checklist

Surgical Lights

For illuminating the surgical site while eliminating shadows. Surgical lights can either be LED or halogen. Of the two, LED is more energy efficient. It also provides a brighter, whiter light, and it generates less heat, which can make things more comfortable for surgical teams.

Operating Table

The table upon which the patient lies for the duration of the procedure. Operating tables are often adjustable and with moving parts, to help the surgical team position the patient as necessary for the procedure.

Equipment Management Systems

These provide storage and ease of access for all the necessary surgical equipment, alongside housing for wires and cables.

This can improve operational efficiency through allowing the surgical team to easily access the equipment they need as soon as they need it. These systems can also reduce clutter, helping to remove tripping and slipping hazards.

Operating theatres may also contain warming cabinets, which can be used to keep fluids, linens, and blankets warm, to help reduce the risk of hypothermia during certain procedures.

Surgical Displays

Display systems can either provide up-to-date information about the patient’s status, or they can provide an intricate, magnified view of the patient’s inner anatomy during certain invasive procedures.

Surgical displays may be wall-mounted, or they may be attached to arms or columns.

Surgical Instruments

A surgeon’s tools of the trade. Surgical instruments are used exclusively in sterile spaces, and they’re specifically designed to penetrate a patient’s skin or mucous membrane. Different procedures will require different instruments.

We specialise in supplying high quality instruments for use across a broad range of surgical disciplines. If you’d like to discuss your surgical instrument requirements, get in touch to talk to an expert today.

Scrub Sinks

Operating theatre teams use scrub sinks to wash their hands and forearms before performing surgical procedures. Good hand hygiene is an essential part of effective infection prevention and control in operating theatres.

This is one area where the specific choice of equipment can make a huge difference to your theatre’s operational efficiency. An absorbent floor mat in the theatre or scrub room can help reduce slippery floors and can also reduce turnaround times between procedures.

The most superabsorbent mat, the T-Mat, can absorb up to 8.5 litres of liquid during a procedure, and afterwards your team can quickly and easily dispose of it in the clinical waste. This will dramatically cut down on your cleaning time, with no need for any noisy, time-consuming suction devices and tubing.

We Can Help You Deliver Exceptional Care Quality Standards in the Operating Theatre

Cairn Technology are approved suppliers to both NHS and private healthcare providers. We specialise in helping operating theatre teams improve efficiency and care quality standards.

As well as stocking a range of surgical instruments and specialist infection control products, we can provide expert advice on improving operational effectiveness in the theatre. Get in touch to discuss our products and services with  one of our friendly experts today.

How Does Infection Spread in a Hospital?

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In this post we’ll discuss how infections spread in hospitals and explore some ways you can prevent and control infections in your hospital.

Ways Infections Spread in Hospitals

Most hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) spread in one of two ways:

  • As a result of treatment.
  • From person-to-person, or via another communicable disease vector (pathogens on a surface, or in the air, for example).

You can read our guide to the most common hospital-acquired infections.

How Infections Spread as a Result of Treatment

Some hospital-acquired infections can spread as a direct result of certain medical treatments.

Examples include:

  • Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) – Invasive procedures involve making incisions in a patient’s skin. Though such procedures are performed in highly controlled sterile environments, it’s possible for incision wounds to get contaminated by microorganisms from the patient’s own body, or from outside sources.
  • Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs) – diff bacteria can exist harmlessly in the bowel. But a course of antibiotics can sometimes cause a bacterial imbalance in the gut, triggering a CDI.

How Communicable Diseases Spread in Hospitals

A patient or a member of staff might bring an existing infection into a healthcare setting such as a hospital. Or a patient may develop an infection during their hospital stay while receiving treatment for an unrelated condition.

These are communicable diseases, and they can spread in a number of ways:

  • From Person-to-Person – Coughs, sneezes, and even touches can spread viruses and bacteria from person to person. CDI, for example, is a common hospital-acquired infection because a major symptom is diarrhoea, which can act as a vector for the spread of bacteria. And of course, during the 2020 pandemic it became clear just how quickly Covid-19 can spread from person-to-person in a hospital.
  • Indirect Contact – Viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens can survive for hours, or even days, on surfaces and inanimate objects. A patient may cough or sneeze into their hand. If they then use a doorhandle or a light switch, any staff member or patient who subsequently touches that item may pick up their germs. And if they then touch their mouth, nose, or eyes, they may introduce the germs into their bloodstream.
  • Contamination – Finally, eating or drinking contaminated food or water can spread communicable diseases. E. coli, for example, is a common hospital-acquired infection, and it can be contracted from eating undercooked meat.

How To Prevent The Spread of Diseases in a Hospital

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) issued recommendations that could help prevent SSIs in hospitals. These include a series of steps for the preoperative phase (including showering and nasal decolonisation), recommendations for staff and patient theatre wear, and a series of checks to make both before and after the procedure. Read the full NICE guidelines for preventing SSIs here.

When it comes to controlling communicable diseases, hospitals must follow the standard infection control precautions (SICPs):

These include:

  • Patient placement – Perform a comprehensive infection risk assessment for each patient, and isolate patients with a high risk of cross-infection.
  • Hand hygiene – Follow a specific hand-washing technique to thoroughly clean your hands at key touchpoints – such as before and after interacting with a patient and their surroundings. Also advise patients to follow good hand hygiene guidelines and provide plenty of handwashing stations throughout your hospital.
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE) – There should be clear procedures for what PPE to use and when. You should also have procedures for storing, applying, removing, and disposing of PPE.
  • Cleaning – Commit to safe management of both care equipment and the care environment. Thorough cleaning should take place regularly and on an ongoing basis. You should also have specialist procedures for cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization in the event of outbreaks, and for high-risk equipment and environments.

Read our full guide to standard infection control precautions in hospitals and healthcare settings.

Control the Spread of Hospital-Acquired Infections

At Cairn Technology, we’ve been helping both NHS and private hospitals prevent and control infections for over 20 years.

We can help you with:

To discuss how we can help you prevent and control infection in your hospital, get in touch to talk to one of our friendly experts today.

 

2023 Vet Shortage in the UK: Why and What Now?

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All healthcare services in the UK are currently facing a number of serious, ongoing issues. Staff shortages and industrial action have resulted in long ambulance waiting times, and there have also been reports of scores of dentists leaving the NHS.

The veterinary sector has faced similar challenges. In this post we’ll discuss the 2023 vet shortage in the UK, examining why it’s happening and exploring what might happen next.

Is There a Vet Shortage in the UK?

The UK’s veterinary workforce relies on overseas registrants to meet required levels, but the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) figures suggest that the annual number of registrants coming to work as vets in the UK fell by 68%, from 1,132 in 2019 to 365 in 2021.

This is a significant proportion of vets in the UK as in 2019, up to 48% of new registrants had graduated outside the UK. The British Veterinary Association, the UK’s largest membership body for vets, has warned of “wide-ranging direct and knock-on impacts across the sector” as a result of severe vet shortages.

Why Is There a Shortage of Vets?

There are three underlying reasons for the UK’s current vet shortage:

  • Brexit – A major reason why the sector saw such a significant drop in overseas registrants is due to the end of free movement that followed Brexit. The process for new vets to apply for work in the UK is a lot more complicated than it was a few years ago, and as a result fewer vets overall are migrating to work in the UK.
  • The Pandemic – New laws throughout the COVID-19 pandemic required vets, nurses, and other staff members to self-isolate whenever they tested positive for the virus. This will have created a significant backlog of care, similar to the crisis the NHS is currently facing. As a result, there are more cases than staff can handle, so many practices across the country have had to close their doors to new pet registrations.
  • A Rise in Pet Ownership – New pet registrations soared during the government’s enforced COVID-19 lockdowns. This will have added even further to vets’ workload, which will have already been stretched to breaking point by the effects of the pandemic.

On top of these three issues, some vets are reporting “relentless calls and constant abuse”. Large numbers of exhausted and burnt-out vets have quit their practices. And given the ongoing problems with the labour market, many practices have struggled to replace them.

How is the Sector Managing the Vet Shortages?

We have seen some initiatives to address the vet shortages across the country.

The RCVS has released an action plan to tackle the vet shortages. Just like other healthcare workers, vets are often required to work long hours at a time multiple days in a row, often up to 60 hours a week. So among the RCVS’s proposals are a move towards more flexible working patterns for vets, nurses, and other staff.

They have also proposed to widen the role that veterinary nurses play. Throughout the pandemic years, veterinary nurses were often forced to step up to take the strain off vets. The RCVS has suggested formalising this expanded role for veterinary nurses, with corresponding pay rises and other compensations.

This action plan may make a difference in the long-term, yet given the current extent of the problem, it may be some time before the industry can properly recover.

Small Things Can Make a Big Difference

In times of crisis, it becomes vitally important that you can make full use of all of your available resources. In short, you need to be able to do more with less. We offer certain specialist solutions that will help you improve your operational efficiency with your current workforce.

For example, our DryMax absorbent mats may not look like much, but when used in your treatment rooms, each mat can absorb up to two litres of all liquids. And even when saturated, an anti-skid barrier layer will keep the mat in place and prevent the fluid from leaking any further.

These specialist absorbent mats reduce the fall risk from wet and slippery floors, and you can quickly and easily dispose of them afterwards. This will significantly reduce the time you spend cleaning between procedures. So you’ll have less down-time, and a considerably faster turnaround time, which may mean you can see more pets each day than before.

At Cairn Technology we can also supply you with the surgical instruments you need to undertake a multitude of surgical procedures on animals. This includes Bergstrom-Stille muscle biopsy cannulas, SuperCut scissors, forceps and retractors.

Get in touch to discuss how our specialist solutions and services can help you improve the operational efficiency in your veterinary practice.

 

Staffing Issues & Safe Staffing Levels in Operating Theatres

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The healthcare sector is currently facing severe staffing shortages. This is contributing to a number of problems, including a huge backlog of care, and long ambulance waiting times.

It goes without saying that staff shortages can have a negative impact on the quality-of-care hospitals and other healthcare settings can deliver. Yet there are some areas of the hospital where staffing levels can make the difference between life and death.

In this post we’ll discuss safe staffing levels in operating theatres, and discuss some strategies for increasing the efficiency of your department.

Safe Staffing Levels in Operating Theatres

It takes a huge team of practitioners, specialists, and support staff to run an operating theatre. Recent operating room staffing guidelines suggested placing limits on staff work schedules. They advised scheduling no more than 12 hours a day, no more than three consecutive days of 12-hour shifts, and no more than 60 hours a week.

Knock-On Impact of Staff Shortages

Staff shortages in the operating theatre make it difficult to devise optimum rotas. This means that any available staff will inevitably be overstretched and overworked, which will lead to a number of problems:

  • Stress, exhaustion, and anxiety. Working long hours in a complex environment like an operating theatre will take its toll on practitioners’ mental health. And when long hours become the rule rather than the exception, practitioners risk burnout, and some may feel that they have no choice but to quit.
  • Lack of learning and development. Operating theatre teams look out for each other, which includes helping new members of the team learn on the job. When everyone’s overworked, there’ll be little time for learning and development opportunities.
  • Delayed or cancelled operations. If the staff isn’t there to carry out the operations, the operations will not take place. Many patients may face excessive waits for critical operations.
  • Longer turnaround time between procedures. An understaffed operating theatre will not be able to run at optimum efficiency. There may be fewer procedures carried out each day, with much longer turnaround times between each procedure.

How Bad is the Current Operating Theatre Staffing Situation?

The latest NHS figures show that, as of November 2022, there were 3% more professionally qualified clinical staff in the NHS compared to the previous year. Though the NHS’s staffing crisis is showing signs of improvement, the increased staffing may not be enough to meet demand.

In January 2023, in response to industrial action across the UK, the government discussed plans to introduce new legislation for “minimum safety levels” in a range of sectors, including healthcare. Such legislation may introduce a minimum legal staffing level for operating theatres and other departments.

Improving the Efficiency of Your Operating Theatre

The NHS Productive Operating Theatre strategy includes a number of initiatives that operating theatre managers can adopt to improve the efficiency of their departments. You can read our full guidance to this strategy here.

Adopting these strategies might be easier said than done when you’re facing staffing level issues. Yet when it comes to improving operating theatre efficiency, small things can make a big difference.

At Cairn Technology, we’re here to help you run your operating theatre more efficiently and effectively. We have a number of products and services to help you do that, and a team of experts on hand to give you the advice you need.

For example, our absorbent floor mats can help to reduce your turnaround time between procedures. They can absorb spillages during operations, gelling liquid and becoming dry to the touch, allowing for non-drip disposal in the clinical waste. As well as reducing the risk of slips and trips, absorbent floor mats can drastically cut town on the amount of time spent cleaning between operations, which can contribute to improved efficiency for your whole department.

Whether you want a consultation on effective infection control, or some advice on improving operational effectiveness in the theatre, our experts are here to help.

Get in touch to talk to one of our experts today.

Why Is There a Shortage of Healthcare Workers in the UK?

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The NHS is facing chronic staff shortages.

In this post we’ll discuss some of the problematic areas, and explore some of the root causes for the shortages.

Which Roles are Facing Shortages?

Nurses

Before the 2020 pandemic, the UK was already facing a shortage of around 50,000 nurses. In December 2020, the Health Foundation said that the government will need to exceed its target of 50,000 new nurses in England by 2024/2025 if the NHS is to fully recover.

General Practitioners (GPs)

Official figures in March 2022 showed that one in 17 doctors’ posts – 5.8% in total – are unfilled.

These same figures suggested that the total number of unfilled posts across health services had risen to 110,192.

Dentists

According to one report, at the end of 2020 there were 23,733 dentists providing care in England. By the end of January 2022, this figure had fallen to 21,544.

For more on the dentist shortage, read our full analysis of the shortage of NHS dentists.

Care Staff

One report suggests that 8.2% of care roles are unfilled. This amounts to a shortage of around 100,000 carers. A shortage of carers mean that many patients are “stuck” in hospital. They cannot be discharged because there isn’t the care staff to support them outside of hospital.

So a shortage of care workers will worsen the wider crisis in healthcare through limiting the number of hospital beds available.

What’s Causing The Shortage of Healthcare Staff?

A few factors are contributing to the shortage of healthcare staff.

  • The Pandemic – Most figures indicate that there were already staff shortages even before the pandemic begun. But Covid-19 compounded things, leading to an immense backlog of care. There may simply be more patients and more procedures than the workforce can manage.
  • Working conditions – Low pay, high pressure, and burnout from heavy workloads is causing many healthcare workers to quit. This is also why UK healthcare has seen industrial action in late 2022 and early 2023.
  • Recruitment – Regular news stories about the dire conditions healthcare workers face may discourage many from starting a career in healthcare. Brexit also contributed to a substantial drop in healthcare workers coming to the UK from EU countries.
  • Policies and Management – The government removed the nursing bursary in 2015. The Royal College of Nursing claim this was a key reason why nurse numbers dropped in the years leading up to the pandemic. Though the government would later partially reverse this policy, the damage may already be done.

What Are The Plans To Address These Shortages?

Official figures in October 2022 suggested that there have been slight rises in staffing across multiple healthcare sectors. But this increase in staffing will not be enough to meet demands.

Long-Term Workforce Plan

In November 2022, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt made a pledge for a long-term workforce plan for the NHS. This plan does not appear to have been published yet.

Cross-Party Coalition

There have been calls for a cross-party coalition to address the situation. The suggestion is a “war-footing”. Public buildings could be converted into pop-up healthcare services so that volunteers could relieve some of the burden on ambulances and hospitals. Retired doctors and nurses could be encouraged to return to work, and “private sector hospitals and clinics should be commandeered.”

But a trio of healthcare specialists have released a statement against such drastic action. They point out that any workers returning to the fold would face “a bureaucratic mountain to climb”, and that the current political parties are so dysfunctional that collaboration seems impossible.

In the meantime healthcare services across the country are facing fresh job cuts and fresh industrial action.

Improving Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare Settings

Whilst we cannot help you address staff shortages in your hospital, we can help you to improve staff safety and well-being, and reduce theatre turnaround times.

Get in touch to talk to one of our experts today.