The Operating Theatre Journal

Introducing the Allen Shoulder Access System

For more information call: 01244 660 954www.melydmedical.comD-770424-A1 February 12, 2009 © 2009 Allen Medical Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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May/June 2009 Issue No. 224 ISSN 1747-728X

2 THE OPERATING THEATRE JOURNAL www.otjonline.com

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nd out more 020 7100 2867 • e-mail [email protected] Issue 224 MAY/JUNE 2009 3 l

The Operating Theatre Journal is published twelve times per year. Available in electronic format from the pages of www.otjonline.comand in hard copy to hospitals throughout the UK. Personal copies are available by nominal subscription.

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New NHS framework agreement for temporary supply of allied health

professionals and health science services

The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) has today launched a new contract for the temporary supply of allied health professionals (AHP) and health science services (HSS) staff to the NHS.

The Allied Health Professionals and Health Science Services National Framework Agreement ensures that patient risk is reduced and clinical risk is managed, through the regular auditing of participating framework suppliers by NHS PASAs National Audit Team.

By negotiating a single contract on behalf of the national health economy, NHS PASA has removed signi cant administrative and process costs on behalf of users and suppliers.

A new feature is the introduction of a streamlined pricing structure. Based on Agenda for Change job pro les, the new agreement is priced by both job band and a minimum, medium and maximum basis, rather than individual spine points.

Other bene ts of the agreement include: * enhanced quality standards in line with Department of Health and

NHS Employers recommendations * competitive pricing * the ability to achieve savings via a range of discounts i.e. volume

base level, e-invoicing, length of placement discounts * access to pricing information via NHS PASAs Agency Information

Management System (AIMS) * ready to use agreement with no need for separate tender * choice of a comprehensive range of quality assessed suppliers* NHS speci c conditions of contract.

NHS PASA has negotiated the new three year agreement primarily on behalf of NHS trusts in England however NHS bodies in Northern Ireland, Wales and other government organisations also have access to it. The agreement has been developed with input from a wide range of stakeholders to ensure it fully re ects the needs of its users. Stakeholders included representatives from NHS acute and primary care trusts from across England.

Rachael Moench, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development at Richmond & Twickenham Primary Care Trust said: We have been using PASAs temporary staf ng agreements for the last 5 years, and we were really pleased to see them putting in place a new framework for this area. We believe the new agreement will really help us in the management of our temporary staf ng needs and its great to have the reassurance that the suppliers we use under the national agreement are meeting the highest quality audited standards, which protects our patients. Kate Meredith,Senior Human Resources Manager at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “By negotiating this single contract for temporary staff on behalf of the health service, NHS PASA, has removed the need for local tenders saving the NHS time and money which can instead be used for the bene t of patient care. Importantly, we recognise that patient safety is at the heart of this agreement. Suppliers on the framework are regularly audited by NHS PASAs National Audit team ensuring they meet high quality standards. Patient risk is reduced and clinical risk is managed”. David Grantham, Head of Programmes at NHS Employers commented: NHS Employers supports use of the new NHS PASA Allied Health Professionals/Health Science Services national framework agreement. This new agreement gives NHS organisations access to a range of pre-quali ed suppliers of temporary staff across a wide range of allied health professional and healthcare scientist roles. The framework offers an opportunity to make savings, but not at the expense of quality. The NHS can be assured of quality candidates and pre employment screening that meets Department of Health and NHS Employers guidance. The new agreement covers an extensive range of professions, including, but not limited to: Dieticians, Occupational therapists, Physiotherapists, Podiatrists, Radiographers, (diagnostic and therapeutic) Speech and language therapists, Orthoptists, Anatomical pathologists, Biomedical scientists, Clinical scientists, Cytologists, Medical technicians, Pharmacists.

The T50 – New Eschmann operating table

Eschmann Equipment, leading British manufacturer and supplier of operating room Equipment for over 100 years, has just launched its latest operating table as part of the T-series range.

The new T50 operating table from Eschmann has been developed for use in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and offers a level of performance and functionality that sets a new standard of excellence for healthcare professionals and patients around the world.

The T50 operating table was designed in conjunction with healthcare professionals in the UK to help overcome dif culties faced during procedures in terms of the ease of patient positioning.

The T50 answers these issues and has been designed with a shorter table-top, reducing the need for manual handling of patients. The addition of the new Eschmann articulating leg sections make correct positioning in lithotomy very easy. As well as the T50, the new articulating legs can also be used on any of the existing T series operating tables from Eschmann.

Uniquely the T50 can, in a single movement position, achieve an ‘assisted delivery’ position aiding instrumental deliveries such as ‘ventouse’ or forceps.

For further details on the T50 or to arrange for a free demonstration then please contact Eschmann at [email protected] or telephone our Customer Services team on 01903 753322.

For more details on the Eschmann range of operating tables and other products, please visit our website, www.eschmann.co.uk When responding to articles please quote ‘OTJ’


KIMBERLY-CLARK HEALTH CARE LAUNCHES A COMPLETE RANGE OF SURGICAL GOWNS, DRAPES AND PACKS

Kimberly-Clark Health Care has launched its expanded surgical products range. The new range of surgical gowns, drapes and packs will provide the operating room (OR) team with a wider choice to select the appropriate level of protection to meet the demands of the speci c surgical procedures as well as the exibility to meet their nancial requirements.

“What we’ve heard from surgeons and theatre managers again and again is the need for reliable and cost-effective surgical gowns and drapes for use during low to moderate uid procedures with high quality being a key component to that equation,” explains Jonathan Price, General Manager for Kimberly-Clark Health Care in Europe, Middle East and Africa. “To meet this need we’ve expanded our surgical products portfolio and introduced a new line of cost-effective surgical gowns and drapes that the operating room team can depend on to deliver consistent performance during low to moderate uid procedures. Our focus is on being an indispensable partner for our customers and this complete range is a great example of that commitment.”

The new approach focuses on distinguishing between three performance classes and provides a cost effective surgical gown, drape and pack solution by combining the right protection for the right procedure at the right price. The new comprehensive range combines Kimberly-Clark’s focus on product quality with the company’s expertise in in-service training, nancial guidance in helping the OR team select the correct product for the appropriate procedure and clinical education.

The new KC 100 line offers reliable, cost-effective performance and protection for low to moderate uid-intensive procedures and easily meets the European Standard EN 13795 for standard performance. The KC 100 portfolio feature the Kimberly-Clark SMS (Spunbond, Meltblown, Spunbond) fabric as well as a new fabric SF (Spunbond Film) to meet various clinical and procedural requirements. The gowns have raglan sleeves for maximum comfort and overlapping back for extra protection. The reinforced drapes and packs bene t from exible, easy to use designs.

The KC 200 range provides enhanced performance and protection for moderate to high uid-intensive procedures. There is a choice of raglan and set-in sleeves as well as the option of reinforced or non-reinforced gowns. The KC 200 drapes are designed for safety and convenience with many user-friendly features and offer the optimum balance of properties in drapes. KC 200 surgical drapes have high ame resistance, resistance to tearing, strike-through and abrasion and low-linting properties that reduce the risk of airborne bacterial transmission.

Kimberly-Clark Healthcare’s expanded range of surgical drapes, gowns and packs

Providing protection for the most invasive and uid-intensive procedures is the KC 300 line. The gowns include Kimberly-Clark’s innovative MicroCool* technology, a breathable impervious fabric, which provide the highest level of protection against blood strike-through and viral penetration, while keeping the wearer cool and comfortable. The KC 300 surgical drapes feature heavy-duty fabric designed for high uid procedures that eliminate the need for costly drape layering.

Kimberly-Clark HealthcareKimberly-Clark Healthcare is a global health and hygiene leader with world-wide sales in excess of $1.2 billion. The company’s objective is to deliver breakthrough solutions to help prevent, diagnose and manage major issues in three clinical areas – Healthcare Associated Infections, Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia and Digestive Health. As well as gowns, drapes and packs, the range of products designed to prevent infection in surgery includes Kimguard* sterilization wrap, face masks, custom procedure trays and InteguSeal* Microbial Sealant. As part of its commitment to clinical support, education and training Kimberly-Clark has developed a dedicated website www.haiwatch.com providing information about HAI – including what they are, how and why they occur and what can be done to reduce the risks of HAI.

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SWINE FLU: Filtering fact from ction about face masksFace masks need lters to provide optimal protection from swine u People who want to take extra precautions against swine u should look for masks with built-in lters, according to Dr Robin J Harman, a pharmaceutical and regulatory expert, There has been much debate about the bene ts of wearing a mask to prevent infection with swine u. Ordinary surgical masks provide some protection from airborne particles, but the UK Department of Health has stated that `basic face masks don’t protect people from becoming infected.1 However, masks with built-in particle lters that are CE marked and meet the European Standard class FFP3 have ef ciency of 99% or more. A ltering facepiece (FFP3) device is a mask that provides a high level of ltering capability and face t, and generates an effective barrier to both droplets and ne aerosols. Swine u virus is spread when miniscule droplets emitted by coughing and sneezing or deposited on hands and surfaces reach the nose or mouth. If you block the particles from being inhaled, for example, with a mask with a built-in particle lter, you can help reduce your risks of becoming infected. A scienti c study has shown that 20-85% of virus particles can penetrate two ordinary types of surgical mask, and potentially expose the wearer to infection2. But masks with FFP3 respirators, such as the Cova u FFP3 face mask, will block more than 99% of airborne virus droplets that are 0.3 microns in size the majority of swine u-infected droplets will be larger than this.

UK manufacturer, Clinova, has seen a surge in demand in the past week for Cova u FFP3 face masks, which meet World Health Organisation, US Centers for Disease Control, and the UK Health and Safety Executive standards for use in in uenza pandemics. Our Cova u FFP3 face masks meet the highest criteria for preventing harmful particles entering the system, which could result in infection.

We have increased production by 10,000% to meet demand and set up a special order form on our website, so that people who want to take extra measures to protect themselves in a pandemic will have access to the best possible protective masks, said Jim Tremouliaris, MRPharmS MPharm, Pharmacist and Chief Operating Of cer, Clinova Ltd. Cova u FFP3 face masks are available at most good pharmacies, including Lloyds Pharmacies nationwide. They can be ordered online at www.clinova.co.uk or by telephoning 08456 521 829

References1.Department of Health lea et, 30 April 2009, Important information

about swine fever.2.Balazy A, Toivola M, Adhikari A. Am J Infect Control 2006:34, 51 57.


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Improved Quality Certi cation Boosts Manufacturer’s Growth Plan Cardiff-based Ultrawave, the UK’s largest independently-owned manufacturer of precision ultrasonic cleaning equipment, has achieved additional ISO quality certi cation - a pivotal factor in selling its cleaning equipment to medical device and pharmaceutical markets both in the UK and overseas.

Ultrasonic cleaning achieves a level of cleanliness few other techniques can accomplish, and is able to reach inaccessible areas such as box joints and in between small serrations of complex medical devices and instruments.

ISO13485 - an international ‘gold’ standard that de nes quality management systems for manufacturers of medical devices - will further enhance Ultrawave’s reputation for exceptionally high standards, and will enable the company to develop and increase its presence in the ultrasonic cleaning equipment market.

“We have always been a quality focused company, but this new level of certi cation gives existing and potential customers the reassurance they need that all our systems ful l the most

stringent requirements, and that they can expect consistently high calibre manufacturing processes,” explained Ultrawave MD John Melville.

With the phasing out of harsh chemicals ultrasonic cleaning has gained in popularity, and a signi cant proportion of Ultrawave’s output goes into the healthcare sector. Cleaning surgical and dental instruments prior to sterilisation is a typical application and the NHS is a major end user.

Other areas where Ultrawave is active includes the aerospace, automotive, food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries - where meticulous cleaning is critical to the correct functioning and manufacturing process of many components.

Ultrawave’s prestigious client portfolio includes a number of blue chip companies such as Williams Formula One, Rolls Royce, Royal Mint and BA.

The company also supplies to the medical device manufacturing market, and customers include Stryker and Boston Scienti c.

Ultrawave has developed overseas sales in Europe, New Zealand, the USA, and the Middle East and is looking to expand its presence in export markets.

“Ultrawave is a forward thinking company, and has a dedicated product development department that aims to push technological boundaries,” said John Melville

“Nobody else in the UK produces the spectrum of products we do and we are constantly seeking to expand ultrasonics into new applications. Our products are aimed at the top end of the market and are designed for sophisticated applications where critical cleaning is of utmost importance.

“Commitment to detail is our USP. For instance, the self-validation function on our latest models records when an item was cleaned, who by, and how long for,” he added.

“This kind of reference is extremely important in today’s culture of traceability. Our latest certi cation will further enhance our reputation for dedication, commitment and reliability.”

Formed in 1990, Ultrawave employs 27 people, and operates from a 16,000 sq. ft facility on Eastgate Business Park in Cardiff.

Further information from: Ultrawave LtdEastgate Business ParkWentloog AvenueCardiffCF3 2EY

Tel: +44 (0) 845 330 4236 +44 (0) 2920 837 337Fax: +44 (0) 845 330 4231Email: [email protected]

John Melville, MD of Ultrawave, the UK’s largest independently-owned manufacturer of precision ultrasonic cleaning equipment, aims to open up pro table new markets in the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors.



Now our infection control products span many disciplines and applications, from hospital intensive care units right through to ensuring the microbiological safety of fresh food produce.”

Tristel’s headquarters are in Snailwell near Newmarket, UK. The company has a dedicated UK salesforce and distributors throughout the world. For more information visit:www.tristel.com

GENMED EXPANSION CONTINUES

GENMED.ME STRENGTHENS MANAGEMENT TEAM.Craig Hallett has joined pioneering Managed Service provider, Genmed me. as Director of Commercial Development.Craig has a professional background in nursing and spent 6 years working for the NHS in maxillo-facial surgery. He then moved to the commercial sector where he has had experience within various healthcare arena.He is probably best known for his role in the start-up of the GeneOhm Sciences company which was instrumental in revolutionising MRSA screening and was subsequently bought by Becton Dickenson in 2006. Craig has held senior roles in global healthcare companies, including Quest Diagnostics and Olympus Diagnostics.

Robin Modak, Managing Director of Genmed.me said” I have worked with Craig on projects in the past and I have always been impressed with his ability to grasp the situation very quickly. He forms an excellent rapport with all stakeholders and, as Genmed expands into other clinical disciplines, Craig’s experience in different areas of healthcare will prove very valuable in providing bene ts to our customers.”

Genmed.me is a leading independent provider of Managed Service Provider with speci c skills in integrating multidisciplinary suppliers. It provides Managed Services that allow NHS Trusts to have a complete say in the nal choice of suppliers. Genmed has worked with the majority of major and minor suppliers in the diagnostics industry and currently Genmed has more than 20 Managed Service Contracts in Endoscopy, Surgery, Medical IT, Pathology, Blood tracking and is developing new areas such as Cardiology, Radiology, innovative image storage solutions and Surgical Facilities. It has an enviable track record in the creation of innovative Managed Service Contracts that incorporate tangible bene ts to hospitals, diagnostic centres, private healthcare providers and public sector bodies.

Genmed managed service structures are designed to be highly exible and provide for process gains through the ability for the Trust to be in control of the provision and therefore manage future demand uncertainty.

For further information on Genmed.me please contact: Robin ModakManaging DirectorTel: 07884 430227Email: [email protected]

Craig Hallett


Bucking the Trend!

Fast approaching ve years of trading the team at Kirkham Young continues to go from strength to strength. Despite daily stories in the press of the economic downturn and small businesses folding Kirkham Young are nding just the opposite!

“Vacancy levels continue to increase year on year across both the Medical and Scienti c divisions” commented Director Tina Young “Our unique position of having a broad range of preferred supplier agreements with large blue chip organisations, strong long term relationships with smaller companies and a high pro le market presence enables us to access exciting roles across the UK. We are able to offer candidates a real choice of opportunities which is often not the case with other agencies and industries”.

Co Director Sam adds “Collectively as a team we have over 30 years specialist Medical and Scienti c recruitment experience. This blend of skills and knowledge offers candidates truly expert advice and access to an unrivalled range of vacancies and clients well matched, high calibre candidates for roles including territory management, marketing, sales management and technical support in sectors including capital equipment, orthopaedics, cardiology, wound care, diagnostics, biotechnology, life sciences and genomics”.


Xograph Appoints a New SW Sales Executive Xograph Healthcare has appointed Liam Neill to the role of Sales Executive who will be covering the South West territory.

Liam graduated from Kingston University in 2006, where he was commended for his clinical abilities and awarded the “Patient Care of the Year” award. Following University, Liam took an NHS post at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospital, where he was quickly promoted to Senior Radiographer. Within this role, he specialised in CT scanning and was responsible for both the department and training student radiographers.

“Liam Neill is a valuable addition to the team. His clinical experience and drive for business performance, coupled with the innovative product offerings available from Xograph will undoubtedly lead him along a successful career path” said Paul Andrews, Business Development Manager for Xograph Healthcare.www.xograph.com

Liam Neill, Sales Executive for Xograph Healthcare

Tristel wins business excellence awardOn 26 March, broadcaster Kate Adie presented Paul Swinney, CEO of infection control company Tristel, with the award for Small Business of the Year, one of the Cambridge News Business Excellence Awards 2009. The presentation was made at a dinner held in the Great H_all of Kings College Cambridge, in the company of around 200 business people from the region.

Tristel’s infection control products, built around the company’s proprietary chlorine dioxide chemistry, are now widely used in hospitals throughout the UK and beyond. The company has expanded rapidly in the past three years, acquiring another commercial organisation with complementary technology and a more industrial focus, bringing all manufacturing in house, signi cantly extending is product range, and enlarging its network of overseas distributors to serve a growing number of export markets.

“I am absolutely delighted to accept this award,” said Paul Swinney. “Tristel’s success re ects the hard work and support of everyone in the organisation. Many of the team have been with us since the early days when our product range consisted only of a small number of solutions for decontaminating endoscopes.

Paul Swinney, CEO of Tristel, received the award for Small Businees of the Year from Kate Adie, on the 26th March 2009. Photo courtesy of Cambridge Newspapers Ltd

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Anetic Aid offers a wide range of modern, technicallyexcellent and cost effective operating theatre accessories.

Accessorise... and modernise

Operating table accessories – from arm boards toclamps, from lateral supports to heel rests: with over 5,000items in stock – many can be delivered within 48 hours

Accessory trolley – requiringminimum space in theatre, helpskeep accessories clean, tidyand easy to find – promotinga safe environment

PAL-pro – with unique pistondesign, Power AssistedLithotomy stirrups do mostof the work lifting patientseffortlessly into position –a major plus in safe liftingand handling practices

K8 pressure care mattresses –available for most operating

tables – combine pressurecare and infectioncontrol properties.Made from specialistgel-feel foam which is

anti-bacterial andmicrobial fungistatic, with

welded stretch covers thatare anti-microbacterial,water resistant, water vapourpermeable and allow theskin to breathe

Queensway, Guiseley Leeds LS20 9JET: 01943 878647 F: 01943 870455 E: [email protected]

State-of-the-art Trulife Oasis and Azure gel padand positioning products – major contributors topreventative pressure management

NEW UPDATED WEBSITE: www.aneticaid.co.uk

Our service starts with helpingcustomers to choose the rightproduct for their needs – we offeradvice and trial products to helpthem decide, as well as on-sitetraining and support. Anetic Aidis registered to quality-assuredISO 9001 and ISO 13485 systems.

Ef cient bedside echo using SonoSite M-Turbo®

Fukuda Denshi to exhibit a wide range of monitors at the ICS

Meeting in ManchesterFukuda Denshi is a leading supplier of advanced patient monitoring and user-con gurable clinical information management systems. The company is exhibiting at the ICS Meeting in Manchester from the 18th-20th May, where they will be displaying an extensive range of patient bedside monitors.

Among the range on display will be the DS 7200 monitors, incorporating all of the major vital parameters, including 3, 5 or 12 lead ECG options, IBP, NIBP and SpO2, together with both hardwire and telemetry connectivity. These attractive, ergonomic monitors are future-proofed and feature a large 12” touch screen, together with an integrated 3-channel recorder. With a 10 waveform display capability, the DS 7200 bedside monitors are highly suitable for the HDU, A&E and Cardiology environments.

Also featured will be the very latest upgrades on the high performance DS 7300 system, the DS 7100 multi-parameter con gured bedside monitor, and the DS 7600 monitor, displaying waveforms for 16 patients on its wide 19” colour liquid crystal multi-functional touch screen.

Visitors can also see the Metavision Suite MVICU state-of-the-art clinical management system, which can be installed via PC access at the patients’ bedside for the convenient assessment of the patients’ progress and outcome.

For more information on the range of Fukuda Denshi monitoring systems please telephone the company on 01483 728 065, or visit their stand at ICS.

Fukuda Denshi: Healthcare bound by technology.

Dr Dhrubo Rakhit, Consultant Cardiologist at Southampton General Hospital and clinical leader for non-invasive cardiology, has chosen the SonoSite M-Turbo® for bedside echocardiography in the busy cardiac unit, where approximately 20,000 echocardiograms are performed each year.

Dr Rakhit, who has a special interest in echocardiography, said: “The M-Turbo is compact and easy to carry so we can have the system beside the patient in just a few minutes, and it doesn’t take up much space next to the bed. Previously, we used a huge cart-based machine that took two people 15-20 minutes to push from one ward to another. The image quality of the M-Turbo is excellent for such a compact system, and it has all the standard cardiology features that you’d expect to nd in a bigger system, such as tissue harmonics and a full range of colour Doppler applications. I have been particularly impressed with the tissue Doppler, which is phenomenally good. The M-Turbo is also relatively straightforward to use; it can be quickly learnt, which is important for our 24/7 echo service at the hospital,

when the system is used out of hours by junior doctors with limited experience of a compact machine.”

Dr Rakhit added: “The biggest advantage of the M-Turbo is that it is probably the most cost-effective portable echo machine available.”

For more information about SonoSite products please contact: SonositeAlexander House, 40A Wilbury Way, Hitchin SG4 0APTel +44 (0)1462 444 800Fax +44 (0)1462 444 801Email: [email protected] Website: www.sonosite.com

Dr Dhrubo Rakhit (right) with cardiac colleagues Linda Drummond (left) and

Diane Gardiner (centre)

Please quote ‘OTJ’Please quote ‘OTJ’


Demographics of Total Hip Replacements Over a Five Year Period in a District General Hospital

Hawkesford MPH, Allcock S

IntroductionTotal hip replacement surgery comprises a signi cant portion of operative procedures performed in both the NHS and private sectors, with over 70,000 hip procedures recorded in the National Joint Registry in 20081. Total hip replacements comprise a femoral and an acetabular component, and since rst successful total hip replacements were pioneered by Sir John Charnley in the early 1960s2 there have been many different designs. Types of femoral prosthesis are frequently named after the people who designed them, such as the ‘Charnley’ prosthesis, or after the place where they designed, such as the ‘Exeter’ and ‘Stanmore’ stems.

Femoral prostheses can be implanted with cement (‘cemented’) such as those mentioned, or without cement (‘uncemented’), such as the ‘Muller’ prosthesis, depending on the circumstances and frailty of the patient. There are also different types of acetabular components (cemented and uncemented), various different femoral head sizes (commonly 22mm, 28mm and 32mm), and heads can be made from a variety of materials, either metal or ceramic.

Although historically Charnley, Exeter, Stanmore and Muller prostheses were the most popular among orthopaedic surgeons, more modern stems such as the ‘C-Stem’ and ‘Corail’ prostheses are now commonplace.

AimAs can be appreciated, there is wide of range of femoral stems to choose from, and a vast number of possible combinations of components which form a total hip replacement. To investigate local practice, we examined the composition of total hip replacements implanted in patients in our district general hospital during a ve year period.

MethodWe included 93 patients in a study aged between 22 and 88 years old, who had undergone 95 total hip replacements under six consultant orthopaedic surgeons in our hospital during a ve year period between 2004 and 2008. Two patients had undergone operations on both sides.

ResultsWe classi ed the total hip replacements according various criteria, including femoral prosthesis type, femoral head type (size and material), acetabular liner material, and whether the total hip replacement was cemented or uncemented.

The commonest choice of femoral implant was the Exeter, of which there were 63, then the C-Stem (14) and Charnley (13) (Fig 1). These are all cemented femoral implants. The least popular was the Corail, an uncemented femoral stem, with only ve being implanted (approximately 5%).

There was no variation in femoral head size or material in the C-Stem, Charnley, and Corail prostheses. C-Stems all had 22mm metal heads, Corails were implanted with larger 28mm metal heads, and Charnley prostheses are made from a monoblock (head and stem are made from a single piece of metal), so these were all 22mm metal heads too.

The largest variation was found in Exeter total hip replacements. Although the majority (48 out of 63) of these were implanted with a 28mm metal head and a cemented acetabular component, a variety of 22mm, 28mm and 32mm metal and ceramic heads, and uncemented acetabular components were also used. These results are summarised in Figure 2.

Figure 1 Pie chart comparing different types of femoral prostheses implanted in a sample of 95 patients in a district general hospital over a five year period.

Figure 2 Bar chart comparing use of acetabular cement, and size and material of the femoral head in Exeter femoral implants.

ConclusionThis study shows a large variation in practice of total hip replacement surgery in a relatively small sample of patients. We suggest further work is required to ascertain whether such profound variation is common in hospitals nationally, and whether NHS and private healthcare settings differ.

References

1. The National Joint Registry. NJR statsonline. www.njrcentre.org.uk/njrcentre/Healthcareproviders/Accessingthedata/StatsOnline/NJRStatsOnline/tabid/179/Default.aspx (accessed 9 February 2009)

2. Dr H K Huddlestone’s Hip and Knee Institute. Sir John Charnley. http://www.hipsandknees.com/hip/charnley.htm (accessed 9 February 2009)


Downs Surgical unveil new state-of-the-art website

To coincide with Downs Surgical’s 130th anniversary, the UK premier surgical instrument manufacturer has launched a new state-of-the-art website – www.downs-surgical.com

Designed to be user friendly and enhance the customer’s experience, the new website has a fresh and modern feel which re ects the company’s global reputation for quality, excellence and outstanding service.

It uses the latest web building technology and includes new features such as a global news section to keep customers, surgeons and distributors up-to-date with the latest Downs Surgical news.

An improved advanced search function has also been introduced, as well as detailed information and product photographs for all of Downs Surgical’s 5,000 surgical instruments to help customers nd products faster and more effectively.

There is also a new improved secure distributor section; which offers a protected area for current distributors to access online. This allows them to view further items of interest that ordinary visitors cannot, such as promotional giveaways, supplies of literature, and samples requests.

Steve Spurgin, International Business Manager at Downs Surgical, said: “This is a very exciting year for Downs Surgical and we are delighted to launch a new website that re ects the modern and dynamic ethos of our business. We have collected feedback from our current website users and have used this information to produce a website that is accessible and easy to use. We hope people enjoy using it and much as we have enjoyed designing it.”

Downs Surgical was founded in 1879 by an instrument maker Milikin and quickly established itself as a market leader, operating today in over 70 countries worldwide.

Priding themselves on staying at the forefront of innovation, Downs Surgical are much more than a supplier of high precision surgical instruments; they are a trusted and fully committed partner for the whole surgical process in hospitals around the world specialising in Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) surgery, cardiovascular, obstetrics and gynaecology.

It is this wealth of experience and wide ranging knowledge base that has led to Downs Surgical instruments being respected by surgeons all over the world and is the reason why much of the medical professionals ‘Insist on Downs’.

For more information about Downs surgical or their extensive product range is visit www.downs-surgical.com

Available in Print and Worldwide via the Internet


Expenditure On Health Care In The UKThe UK spent £118 billion on health care in 2007, according to data released on the 29th April by the Of ce for National Statistics (ONS). This includes public and private spending on health care, and is 8.4 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Estimates for 1997 to 2007 are shown in gure 1 below. Expenditure on health care in the UK has risen from 6.6 per cent of GDP in 1997, to 8.4 per cent of GDP in 2007, very close to the 2006 gure of 8.5 per cent of GDP.

ONS is able to publish these internationally comparable data for the rst time since 2003, as a result of recent work published by Health England.

According to the latest data available for the EU15 countries, the average percentage of GDP spent on health care was 9.3 per cent in 2005. The UK gure for 2005 was 8.2 per cent.

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/healthex0409.pdf

Wi-Five Online Game from the NPSATo help you in communicating good staff hand hygiene the cleanyourhands campaign/UK Hand Hygiene Collaborative has developed a simple, fun, electronic game with educational undertones, intended for circulation to NHS healthcare staff.

The game is based on the WHO’s Five Moments approach to hand hygiene andhighlights appropriate moments during care when the care worker cleans their hands to reduce the spread of infection.

http://www.npsa.nhs.uk/cleanyourhands/resource-area/wi- ve-game/


Volk HRX Vit Lens Delivers Extreme Wide Views

High resolution extreme eld indirect contact surgical lens

For indirect image viewing of the entire retina during vitreoretinal surgical procedures, Volk Optical’s new HRX (High Resolution eXtreme eld) Vit Lens offers unmatched imaging. The super-wide eld lens ensures visualization of retinal pathologies to the ora serrata with high index glass construction for crisp image quality.

For vitreo-retinal surgeons who prefer to conduct surgery with an indirect contact surgical lens and reinverter, the traditional standard has been the 127° eld offered by Volk’s Mini Quad and the 134° eld of the Mini Quad XL. With this new lens, Volk has been able to expand the eld of view to 150° for even greater peripheral visualization and treatment power at .43x image magni cation.

The HRX Vit lens delivers this super wide view without compromising image quality. High grade, high refractive index glass ensures optical quality. Volk’s patented double aspheric design maintains linear image magni cation and image clarity across the entire eld of view.

With a low pro le and reduced size housing, the HRX Vit facilitates surgical procedures and instrument manipulation. The lens is available in either a standard contact option or Volk’s patented SSV® (Self Stabilizing Vitrectomy) design. SSV lenses contact directly to the cornea, eliminating the need for suture or stabilizing rings and reducing associated patient discomfort and surgical prep time.

For more information about Volk products, visit www.volk.com, phone Volk direct at 1-800-345-8655 (+1 440-942-6161 outside the United States), or contact your Authorized Volk Distributor.

Volk Optical, a Halma company, is an industry leader in the design and manufacture of aspheric optics. Glass lens construction and the company’s patented double aspheric technology result in the highest resolution imaging with the best stereopsis for precision diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical work. The company is based in Mentor, Ohio, USA and has representatives and distributors around the world.

For further information contact: Tim WarrellTel: +1 440.942.6161 Fax: +1 440.942.2257Email: [email protected] Website: www.volk.com

Volk’s HRX Vit lens in SSV (left) and standard contact (right) designs

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Intensive care errors ‘frequent’Errors in the administration of injected medication in intensive care units occur frequently, a study across 27 countries suggests.

Austrian researchers collected data on more than 1,300 patients, 200 of them in the UK, over a 24-hour period. Of the 441 patients affected, seven suffered permanent harm and ve died partly because of the error, the British Medical Journal reported.

Medical staff often cited stress and tiredness as contributing factors.Data was collected by researchers from Rudolfstiftung Hospital from a total of 113 intensive care units, of which 17 were in the UK. Nearly half of the affected patients suffered more than one mistake during the period covered. The most frequent errors were related to the wrong time of administration and missing doses altogether. Cases of incorrect doses and wrong drugs being given were also reported. A total of 69% of the errors occurred during routine care.

Mistakes occurred with many types of drugs, including insulin for diabetics, sedatives and blood-clotting drugs. The doctors and nurses who took part in the study cited stress and tiredness as a contributing factor in a third of mistakes. Recent changes in the drug’s name, poor communication between staff and violation of protocols were also mentioned. The odds of an error being made increased signi cantly for the most severely ill patients. Researchers said this re ected the complexity of their care.

‘Worrying’Lead researcher Dr Andreas Valentin said the problems identi ed applied to all the health systems involved in the study. He said just one in ve units reported no adverse events during the 24-hour period studied. “It is a really serious problem. The administration of injected medication is a weak point in patient safety,” he said. “With the increasing complexity of care in critically ill patients, organisational factors such as error reporting systems and routine checks at shift changes can reduce the risk of such errors.”

A Patients Association spokesman said: “The ndings are worrying. We know staff work really hard in intensive care units, but there are no excuses for errors. “Protocols must be followed and managers should be carrying audits to make sure they are.”

‘International problem’In a statement, the Intensive Care Society said the aim must be to re ne care to minimise drug errors. It said that critically ill patients often required complex care, with the use of many different drugs, some unusual, which were often administered using specialist equipment.

“The urgency of treatment can also mean that these drugs have to be located rapidly, prepared ef ciently and administered quickly to prevent further deterioration. “Unfortunately, this pressure does mean that the combined total incident rate is almost inevitably higher than in care areas where fewer medicines are required.”

The society said many units had developed training programmes to increase patient safety, including measures to highlight and learn from “near misses”. Work was also under way to standardise concentrations of some drugs often given to critically ill patients, re ne the use of antibiotics and minimise the risk of adverse drug reactions.

The Department of Health said it was working closely with the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA), professional organisations and pharmacists to reduce the incidence of medication errors, which it described as “clearly an international problem”. Source: BBC


Everyone’s Doing It, Why Aren’t You?

Go Green with First Call Medical

Ilford, Essex, IG1 2QY1 Clements Court,

Direct Line +44 (0) 20 8911 1120

Direct Fax +44 (0) 20 8911 1080

Theatre Division [email protected]

First Call Medicalwww.firstcallmedical.co.uk

RAPID REVIEW PANEL GIVES KIMBERLY-CLARK’S INTEGUSEAL*

RECOMMENDATION 1InteguSeal*, the microbial sealant from Kimberly-Clark Health Care, has been given a ‘recommendation 1’ by the Department of Health’s Rapid Review Panel (RRP).

In the ndings published on the Health Protection Agency’s website www.hpa.org.uk for InteguSeal* the RRP said: “Basic research and development, validation and recent in use evaluations have shown bene ts that should be available to NHS bodies to include as appropriate in their cleaning hygiene or infection control protocols.”

Additional information published by the panel provides a summary of how InteguSeal* works. It said: “This product is a barrier, intended to prevent intraoperative contamination of surgical incisions. Following skin disinfection, it is applied as a liquid and then seals the skin around the operative site, preventing wound contamination from the surrounding skin micro ora whilst allowing normal transpiration of water vapour.” The web link detailing the recommendation is www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1232957471552 Information about InteguSeal* can also be found on the NHS Clean, Safe Care website www.clean-safe-care.nhs.uk, a hub for information, tools and news about reducing healthcare associated infections (HCAI) and providing safe, clean, reliable healthcare. The links are http://www.clean-safe-care.nhs.uk/index.php?pid=69 and http://www.clean-safe-care.nhs.uk/Documents/KC_InteguSeal_template.pdf

The RRP has been set up to provide the Department of Health with prompt assessment of new and novel products or protocols designed to reduce HCAI.

To date, InteguSeal* has been used in more than 150,000 applications during surgical procedures across the world. Clinical studies have shown that InteguSeal* reduces surgical wound bacterial contamination when used in conjunction with standard skin preparation (1) and its use in surgery can signi cantly reduce the Surgical Site Infection rates (2). Further studies have also revealed that the decrease in infection rates also saves hospitals money for extended treatment (3).

Dr Lynne Kelley, Vice President Medical Director for Kimberly-Clark Healthcare said: “Kimberly Clark Health Care is committed to partnering with hospitals to help reduce healthcare associated infections and, where possible, bring new and novel technology to the marketplace. Many years of research and development and clinical testing have been invested into InteguSeal* and it is very satisfying for all involved to achieve a recommendation 1 from the Rapid Review Panel.”

References1. Tow gh S, Cheadle W, Lowry S, Malongoni M, Wilson S. Signi cant reduction in incidence of wound contamination by skin ora through use of microbial sealant. Archives of Surgery Vol 43 (No.9) September 20082. Dohmen PM, Gabbieri D, Weymann A, Linneweber J, Konertz W. A preliminary study of patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery to prevent surgical site infections. European Society for CardioVascular Surgery (ESCVS) April 20083. Dohmen PM, Gabbieri D, Weymann A, Linneweber J, Konertz W. What’s the impact of InteguSeal* on surgical site infections reduction and are there any economical bene ts? 38th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, February 2009 Please quote ‘OTJ’

Doctors warned over donor consentDoctors should not be taking it on themselves to ask bereaved families for consent to use their loved one’s organs for transplants, a study suggests.Instead, the John Radcliffe Hospital research said consent was more likely to be given if a doctor was accompanied by a specialist transplant coordinator.The study also said discussing donation at a separate time to informing the relative about death was important. Transplant of cials said the ndings should inform hospital practice. The refusing of consent by families, even when a person is on the donor register, is a major problem for the NHS.There are 16m people on the register in the UK - a record number. But three people a day die on average waiting for an organ. Research has show that as many as four in 10 relatives deny consent. The Oxford hospital team reviewed 20 previous studies on organ donation, the British Medical Journal reported.Some of these looked at having the conversation about consent at a different time to announcing the death of the patient to the family. These showed “decoupling” the conversations was up to three times more likely to result in consent been given. It made little difference if the donation discussion was held before or after death. Another study showed that seven in 10 requests made jointly by the doctor and hospital’s transplant coordinator were successful.LessonsLead researcher Dr Duncan Young said: “I think these are invaluable lessons for hospitals. “All too often of cials will get involved in conversations about organ donation when informing the relative their loved one has died. But just having that time, even just a little time, to accept things seems to make a difference. “I think the importance of having both a coordinator and doctor is to do with doctors not having the social skills to discuss this in the best manner. “Many doctors will not necessarily deal with that many donor cases so they are not used to it. Whereas having a trained coordinator makes a big difference. “However, the doctor is still important as they are likely to be a familiar face to the family.”Transplant coordinators are specially-trained staff who oversee organ donor issues at hospitals. They are not yet employed routinely across the NHS and instead tend to be focused on the biggest centres.Sally Johnson, of NHS Blood and Transplant, the of cial authority that oversees transplants in the NHS, said the ndings reinforce the need for the positions and said she hoped more hospitals would look to use them. “We hope that this research will help them to understand the bene ts of involving an expert donor transplant co-coordinator at the right time.”

Source BBC


Masimo Initiates Full Market Release of First-Ever Noninvasive Continuous Hemoglobin Monitor Success in Limited Market Release Hospitals Highlights Early Clinical Bene ts and Patient Impact

Masimo (NASDAQ: MASI), the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry™ and Measure-Through Motion and Low-Perfusion pulse oximetry, announced today that it has initiated the full market release of its breakthrough noninvasive and continuous hemoglobin (SpHb™) monitoring technology. As the rst noninvasive and continuous hemoglobin monitoring technology to receive FDA 510(k) clearance and be available for widespread commercial adoption, Masimo SpHb is already transforming the way hemoglobin testing is performed at over 40 hospitals in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Africa, that have participated in the technology’s limited market release initiated in September of 2008.

The availability of noninvasive, continuous, and immediate hemoglobin measurements is expected to have wide ranging clinical impact, from surgery and intensive care to less acute care settings, including the emergency department, physician of ce, ambulatory surgery center, and long-term care facility by facilitating prompt detection of internal bleeding and more appropriate administration of blood transfusions. Early bene ts and impact of Masimo SpHb were evident in feedback received from clinicians at hospitals around the world who participated in the limited market release.

Ronald Miller, MD, Chief of Anesthesia, Professor and Chairman of the Dept. of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care at the University of California, San Francisco, stated, “Masimo SpHb is an impressive new tool that helps us to more safely guide

patients in surgery through to recovery. With it, not only can we spot hemoglobin changes as they occur, but we can see where they are heading. This ability to identify an upward or downward hemoglobin trend on a second-by-second basis as it occurs has been of tremendous value.”

Randy Marcel, MD, Medical Director and Chief of Anesthesiology at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano in Plano, Texas, stated, “In the past, we’ve only received glimpses of our patients’ hemoglobin levels from lab measurements, but now we have complete and real-time hemoglobin visibility. We initially purchased SpHb for use during cardiac surgeries in the OR, and brought in additional units for the ICU, where post-operative monitoring of internal bleeding is critical to patient recovery.”

Javed Akhtar, MD, FAAP, Medical Director, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, stated, “We purchased the SpHb monitor after seeing it in a hands-on demonstration, and I’m glad we did! SpHb has reduced the traumatic experience for pediatric patients, increased the satisfaction of parents, and reduced the workload on our nursing staff, phlebotomist and laboratory personnel.”

Madhava Karunarathna, MD, OB/GYN at Balangoda Hospital in Sri Lanka, stated, “With SpHb, we now have accurate hemoglobin measurements available at our ngertips, around the clock. In cases of severe hemorrhaging during and after childbirth, SpHb has enabled us to immediately identify and continuously assess

blood loss severity to better manage internal bleeding, prevent overloading of uid, and decrease maternal death.”

Adi Abdussalam Adham, MD, Chief Manager at Accidents Hospital Abu Saleem in Tripoli, Libya reinforced Dr. Karunarathna’s comments, adding that: “In the operating room, Masimo SpHb has enabled us to more effectively monitor blood loss and better manage transfusions in surgery, while routine screening in the ED has helped us to more rapidly identify patients with anemia or internal bleeding.”

Bertrand Debaene, MD, Anesthesiologist at the University Hospital Center of Poitiers in Poitiers, France believes the combination of SpHb and PVI may prove to have signi cant clinical bene ts, saying that “SpHb, along with PVI, have been important improvements for both the department and our patients. The ability to track hemoglobin and uid volume in real-time allows us to be more precise in our clinical routine.”

SpHb is part of the Masimo Rainbow SET Pulse CO-Oximetry patient monitoring platform—the rst-and-only upgradable technology platform capable of continuously and noninvasively measuring multiple blood constituents and helping to predict uid responsiveness in patients previously requiring invasive procedures. Masimo Rainbow SET noninvasive measurements—including: total hemoglobin (SpHb™), oxygen content (SpOC™), carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO®), methemoglobin (SpMet®), PVI™, oxyhemoglobin (SpO2), pulse rate

(PR), and perfusion index (PI)—have the potential to facilitate faster, easier and safer health decisions.

Currently available in bedside Masimo Radical-7® and Rad-87® Pulse CO-Oximeter patient monitors, SpHb will also be offered in handheld monitors and select multiparameter patient monitoring brands through Masimo Rainbow SET Pulse CO-Oximetry technology license agreements.

Joe Kiani, Founder and CEO of Masimo said, “SpHb’s success during the limited market release phase at hospitals around the world illustrates its expected signi cant impact on clinical practice and patient care. In addition and as we expected, our limited market release program provided us with the opportunity to enhance the robustness in low perfusion situations and broaden the cross section of individuals on which the technology performs. The ability for clinicians in hospitals, private practices, and other healthcare settings to perform immediate and continuous noninvasive hemoglobin monitoring creates new opportunities to save lives, optimize decision making, improve care, and reduce costs.”

SpHb has received regulatory clearance in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia, and is now available for sale in most of the countries in the world.

Additional information about Masimo and its products may be found at www.masimo.com

When responding please quote ‘OTJ’


Emergency Bariatric Operating Table Hire

Following the successful UK launch of the Merivaara Promerix operating tables, UK distributor Europa Medical Services has introduced an emergency hire scheme.

Several hospitals have contacted the company as they have a clinical requirement but no funds available, at this time, to purchase the table. In order to assist Europa Medical are making a number of tables available for hire.

The company already operates a hire rental scheme which enables hospitals to reclaim up to 70% of rental payments against the purchase price of the table. An NHS approved leasing package is also available.

The Promerix operating table is suitable for all types of surgery,

To receive an information pack on the Promerix operating tables contact Dennis Jeffrey, Europa Medical Services on Telephone 0845 658 4328, Fax 0845 658 4329 or email [email protected]

the anticipated weight of the patient will determine which model is most appropriate.


Medipex Awards show NHS innovation in good health Against the backdrop of a £220 million fund being made available to encourage innovation within the NHS announced by Health Minister Lord Darzi this week, Medipex - the NHS Innovation Hub for Yorkshire and Humber, is already helping make its goal of rapidly taking new technology from the bench to the bedside a reality.

A blood testing technology that can signi cantly improve the effectiveness of antibiotics and a new development in the way clinical staff work with special needs children are just two examples of high impact innovations that could be used across the NHS to improve patient care that were on display at the Medipex NHS Innovation Awards Ceremony 2009.

The awards, now in their fth year, provide a platform to showcase new technology developed by the NHS with bene ts that can be adopted and used both regionally and nationally. They are backed by Medipex, the organisation that helps nurture the development and commercialisation of innovation within the region’s NHS.

Joint winners in the Medical Devices & Diagnostics category were Tom Darton of Shef eld Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for his blood testing tool to improve the effectiveness of antibiotics and Andy Speechley and Avril McCarthy of Independent Care Products Ltd. and the NIHR Devices for Dignity HTC respectively for the ‘Dignity’ Mobile Bidet/Dryer Commode.

The ‘blood testing tool for antibiotics’ reduces the time it takes to screen potentially infected blood from 1-2 days to four hours, signi cantly improving the prescribing of antibiotics and reducing the cost, duration and side effects associated with excessive antibiotic use. The impact of this diagnostic test will be that patients will receive the most effective antibiotic therapy at least 24hrs earlier than by current conventional methods.

The device has developed considerable interest in many healthcare environments such as nursing homes and among rehabilitation experts as it is the rst signi cant improvement to toileting function in decades.

Judith Short of Shef eld Children’s NHS Foundation Trust was the winner in the Publications & Training Materials category for her work on improving the way staff communicate with special needs children.

The idea was developed after Judith saw the anxiety created in these children when being treated and wanted to nd ways for them to better communicate their feelings and needs. This led to the creation of a range of communication and information resources that both carers and patients can use.

The Software & ICT category saw Shawn Larson of NHS Connecting for Health take rst place for a cutting edge tool to help train staff in x-ray and radiology procedures. His ‘Virtual Cath Lab - VCL’ provides a real time 3D version of x-ray ( uoroscopy) equipment and the clinical radiological procedure that can be controlled by the user and used on any PC. Currently this kind of procedure is carried out with live equipment, the VCL removes this need increases the speed and ef cacy of training, reduces cost and impacts positively upon safety by removing radiation.

Richard Clark, CEO of Medipex said: “Medipex have been actively involved with the Yorkshire and Humber Strategic Health Authority in helping achieve the identi cation, development, adoption and diffusion of innovation, and these awards show the depth of creativeness taking place with the region’s NHS. Many of the entrants to these awards, including the winners, provide technologies and procedures that can be used throughout the NHS to improve the welfare of patients across the country.”

www.medipex.co.uk

The ‘Dignity’ Mobile Bidet/Dryer Commode provides an essential tool to allow the disabled and elderly to clean themselves after using the toilet, providing a degree of independence to users even if they cannot access the bathroom.


Royal Army Medical Corps

Operating Theatre Technicians (OTT)Operating Department Assistants (ODA)

Operating Department Practitioners (ODP)

Retired - Regular - Reserve Join OTT Reunited

Make contact with old friends and colleagues

over 200 members worldwide

For more details go to our website:

OTTReunion.com

To take part you need to pay a registration

fee of £250 and raise minimum funds

of £2,500 for the charities.

Jordan Desert Challenge

Looking for an adventure?

Book now for a life changing experience!

Raising funds for Barnardo’s, Dreams Come True, Kith & Kids and MedEquip4Kids

20 - 27 March 2010

www.actionforcharity.co.uk 0845 408 2698e-mail: [email protected]

A spectacular hike from the Dead Sea to Petra

MicroMaxx® point-of-care system brings exible ultrasound to A&E

North Middlesex Hospital has one of the busiest A&E departments in London, treating over 110,000 patients annually. Dr Eddie Lamuren, lead consultant in the department, has been keen to expand the use of ultrasound in the unit, and with this in mind purchased a SonoSite MicroMaxx® point-of-care ultrasound system.

Dr Eddie Lamuren explained: When our radiology department upgraded its ultrasound system, we inherited a cart-based system for FAST scanning and line placement. However, the size of this machine made bedside scanning impractical, so we decided on a hand-carried system. SonoSites instruments were recommended by colleagues, and we were impressed by how easy they were to use.

We regularly use our MicroMaxx system for FAST scans and line placement all emergency central line placement is ultrasound guided and the MicroMaxx system offers good image contrast, is straightforward to use and boots up quickly. All the scans we perform are stored on the system and uploaded onto our server, and we review images weekly with a colleague from radiology for teaching purposes, which also acts as an internal audit. The instrument is also useful for gall bladder, abdominal aortic and kidney scans of patients coming into the department with abdominal pain, and the ability to scan these patients straightaway has cut the rate of unnecessary admissions.

For more information about SonoSite products please contact:Alexander House, 40A Wilbury Way, Hitchin SG4 0APT +44 (0)1462 444 800, F +44 (0)1462 444 801Email: [email protected] Website: www.sonosite.com

About SonoSite SonoSite, Inc. (www.sonosite.com) is the innovator and world leader in hand-carried ultrasound. Headquartered near Seattle, Washington, USA, the company is represented by ten subsidiaries and a global distribution network in over 100 countries. SonoSite’s small, lightweight systems are expanding the use of ultrasound across the clinical spectrum by cost-effectively bringing high performance ultrasound to the point of patient care. The company employs over 600 people worldwide.

SonoSite, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of SonoSite, Inc. based in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, oversees a direct sales distribution network in the UK and provides sales and marketing support for SonoSite’s European of ces.

Eddie Lamuren with the SonoSite MicroMaxx system

Virtual Skills Development has been designed by perioperative nurses for perioperative nurses to encourage and support continual learning through our website “Our World of Theatre” as well as Workshops and Educational days.

We understand how dif cult it can be to attend educational sessions in the work environment. The shortage of nurses combined with in-creased clinical workloads is impacting on the amount of in house educational sessions the perioperative nurses can access during their shifts.

w www.virtualskillsdevelopment.com

The Website includes:

Interactive member pages International perioperative nurse forum Events Calendar Individual Professional Development Log Useful links for the perioperative nurse A monthly ‘E‘ newsletter Member Input

We will be expanding to include:

Videos to view ‘E’ Learning through Self Directed Learning Packages ‘E’ Shop for theatre accessories eg clogs, glasses, scrubs

Virtual Skills Development is an APEC member and has been endorsed by the Royal College of Nursing Australia to attach CNE points (Con-tinual Nurse Education Points) to educational sessions - workshops, educational days, and the self directed learning packages.

We encourage operating theatre product suppliers to be involved in our workshops and educational days to enable networking between the users and the suppliers.

For more information on the website, or our workshops, please email us at: [email protected]

Sue Alcorn



Theatre RGNBand 5, £20,710 - £26,839 pa plus HCA Allowance

East Surrey and Crawley Hospitals

Are you a qualified RGN or ODP, looking for a challenge? Then look no further!

We are looking for a dynamic team player to join our busy department.Experience is not essential as full training will be given.

We have 7 acute inpatient operating theatres and 2 day surgerytheatres on the two hospital sites covering the following disciplines:Urology, Orthopaedics, Trauma, General, ENT, Ophthalmology,Gynaecology, Obstetrics and CEPOD.

The successful candidate will be based in Theatre on the East Surreysite and may be required to cover the Crawley and Redwood site onoccasions with an on call commitment and participation in a 24/7working rota.

We offer an ongoing training programme through Guildford University, for student ODP and you will be expected to participate in mentoringthese students. We have a commitment to the ongoing development of our staff and have a commitment to Diploma courses for theatrestaff through our local Universities. You can also look forward to on-siteparking, a nursery, an assisted home-buying scheme and excellent localtransport links. Ref: THE18-LL

For further information please contact Sharon Turner, Sister or Carolyn Hagan, Sister on 01737 768511 ext 2644 or [email protected] or [email protected].

Please apply online at www.eastsurreyrecruitment.com

Please quote the reference number.

Closing date: 24 May 2009.

Committed to equal opportunities.

Updated The Electrode Company Website reveals how to improve patient outcomes

The Electrode Company Ltd (TEC) specialises in non-invasive monitoring, optical sensors and high performance pulse oximetry. A new website (www.electro.co.uk) incorporating a DVD on a breakthrough technology (Subtilis), reveals that developments in oxygen monitoring can lead to enhanced patient outcomes.

On the website, the site index on Subtilis shows how it can improve O2 therapy while reducing bed occupancy. Subtilis creates personalised calibration data for each patient episode, this making it independent of both sensor and patient variability.

The key bene ts of this technology include:• Reducing false oxygen alarms by up to 51%• Improving patient outcomes in up to 87% of cases• Reducing late interventions in up to 23% of cases• Reducing unnecessary interventions by up to 64%

All of the above will help facilitate healthcare ef ciencies leading to potential cost savings.

Visitors to TEC website, www.electro.co.uk, will also see the results of a 36 hospital research survey, involving 1008 pulse oximeter sensors from a variety of sources. Key ndings were:• 14% of sensors surveyed had no error, leaving 86% with errors of some sort.• 13% of the sensors had circuit or optical faults, while 17% had unacceptable wavelength errors.

The authors of the clinical paper on this survey conclude that “if the accuracy of the sensor is unknown, then every clinical decision made on the basis of this data, is without foundation.”

The Electrode Company’s Lightman® self calibrating microspectrometer was used in this trial. For more information on these ground breaking developments, please telephone TEC on 01291 650279.

The Electrode Company: Ensuring accurate data for better clinical outcomes. Please quote ‘OTJ’

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