The Operating Theatre JournalThe Operating Theatre Journal is published twelve times per year. Available in electronic format from the pages of and in hard copy to hospitals throughout

ISSN 1747-728X May/June 2006 Issue No. 188

TheOperating Theatre Journal

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fi nd out more 0207 100 2867 • e-mail [email protected] Issue 188 MAY/JUNE 2006 3 l

The Operating Theatre Journalis published twelve times per year. Available in electronic

format from the pages of www.otjonline.com

and in hard copy to hospitals throughout the UK. Personal

copies are available by nominal subscription.

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We welcome case studies, research articles, product

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All enquiries:Mr. L.A.EvansEditor/Advertising ManagerMr. A.S.FletcherGraphics EditorThe OTJPO Box 51Pontyclun CF72 9YYTel: 0207 100 2867Email: [email protected]: www.lawrand.com

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Publishers of:The Operating Theatre Journal

50,000 patients treated on mobile operating theatres

Nursing staff from Heatherwood Hospital in Berkshire joined in the celebrations to mark the 50,000th NHS patient to have a procedure on a mobile operating theatre.

Mrs Mary Hyland, a 76-year-old lady from Eaton Wick, near Windsor, was nursed on Ward 4 following her knee replacement operation on a Vangaurd Healthcare laminar-fl ow mobile stationed outside the day surgery unit on February 22nd.

On Monday, April 24th, Vanguard Managing Director Graeme McConnell presented Mrs Hyland with an engraved antique silver rosebowl to mark this landmark occasion at a ceremony at the hospital attended by Evelyn Barker, Director of Clinical Services at Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Trust.

“We are extremely proud of our team and of our partnership with the NHS which has produced 50,000 additional procedures by making best use of the estate”, said Mr McConnell: “This is a signifi cant reduction to waiting lists and it has been achieved on around 60 NHS sites nationwide from Aberdeen to Chelsea and Bury St. Edmunds to Swansea”.

Pictured left to right are: Evelyn Barker; Vicky Moore, Staff Nurse, Ward 4; Filomena Fernandes, Healthcare Assistant, Ward 4; Mrs Mary Hyland; Alison Green, Matron, Orthopaedics and Trauma; and Mary Smallbone, Director of Sales and Marketing, Vanguard Healthcare.

For further information, please contact: Heatherwood & Wexham Park NHS Trust: Penny Inglis on 01753 63 3206The national mobile fl eet is unique to the UK. It includes mobile operating theatres, mobile day wards, mobile endoscopy suites and mobile outpatient units.Vanguard usually provides experienced theatre nursing staff and senior theatre managers with each theatre so that nurses at the host hospital are not removed from front-line duties to work in the mobile. Most of the procedures are carried out by the host hospital’s own NHS surgeons and anaesthetists.West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St. Edmunds, became the fi rst hospital in the country to use a mobile operating theatre to help cut waiting-lists on April 4th, 2000. Since then procedures have been carried out in more than 60 different locations including Aberdeen, Dublin, Swansea, London and Australia.

When responding please quote ‘OTJ’

Announces fi rst UK installation of Infi nity® OneNet shared network and Infi nity MegaCare ECG management solutionDraeger Medical UK Limited today announced the fi rst UK installation of its Infi nity® OneNet shared network and Infi nity MegaCare ECG management solution at Southend Hospital, Essex.

The hospital required a complete networking system that utilised its existing IT infrastructure, together with a single monitor platform that is fl exible enough to meet the various acuity levels within the different areas of the hospital. The project was awarded to Draeger Medical UK to supply monitoring, including the fi rst Infi nity OneNet solution, and the fi rst Infi nity MegaCare solution in the UK.

Infi nity OneNet is a breakthrough capability that lets hospitals run wired and wireless patient monitoring systems on the hospital’s existing network infrastructure. Traditionally, patient monitoring has required its own separate, dedicated network in order to guarantee security and performance. Infi nity OneNet is an innovative approach to implementing life critical patient monitoring networks. It is both a network architecture and a comprehensive suite of professional services that allows the hospital’s existing enterprise network to provide patient monitoring in parallel with its commercial and administrative applications - all on one industry-standard network.

“The traditional medical network approach really doesn’t lend itself to the way IT works in today’s environment,” says Audi Lucas, Medical Networks Manager of Dräger Medical. “There’ll be a set of specifi cations and hospitals will have to confi gure their medical networks that way. It’s very hard, not at all fl exible and doesn’t work with wireless monitoring. What we came up with was a way of customising the network for each individual hospital. That’s a big change.”

Infi nity MegaCare offers a competent solution to Southend Hospital’s ECG management requirements. Infi nity MegaCare is a Web-based ECG management system that allows care givers to review, edit, analyse, and confi rm ECGs from any computer on the hospital network. Because it is a true Web-based application, it requires minimal hardware investment. A single Infi nity MegaCare server can support millions of records and up to 100 concurrent users across multiple sites.

www.draeger.com

Keep Your Finger on the Pulse with the Electrode Company’s latest 2006 newsletterThe Electrode Company Ltd specialises in non-invasive monitoring, optical sensors and high performance pulse oximetry. The company has just published their 7th issue of The Pulse, their informative company newsletter.

This 2006 edition includes updated product information, new literature and client case studies, where readers can learn of the benefi ts The Lightman® microspectrometer has brought to hospitals throughout the UK, including Manchester, Taunton, Yarmouth and Ilford.

Also included in this issue is the invitation to a free audit test of up to 50 SpO2 sensors for NHS Trusts, plus an informative Q&A section covering what the Lightman® does, and what it’s used for.

For a copy of the 2006 newsletter, please telephone the company on 01633 861772, or visit www.electro.co.uk for more details on The Electrode Company and their Lightman®.

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

When responding to articles please quote ‘OTJ’

4 THE OPERATING THEATRE JOURNAL www.otjonline.com

Agfa introduces its CR Radiotherapy Solution to radiotherapists at a study day at the Agfa

training suite, Brentford Agfa and Qados teamed-up to host a study day for existing and potential customers to introduce them to the theory behind Computed Radiography (CR) and to Agfa’s CR Radiotherapy Solution. Qados, a distribution company for medical equipment, is now an agreed distributor of Agfa’s Radiotherapy Solution to hospitals throughout the UK and Ireland.

Mike Sweeney of Qados welcomed the delegates and gave a brief run through of the equipment to be distributed, after which Mark O’Herlihy, Agfa Clinical Applications Specialist, kicked the day off with an Introduction to CR and a look at Agfa’s CR Radiotherapy Solution. Agfa’s Radiotherapy Solution is a complete digital system, offering the user the possibility of acquiring radiographic images in a radiotherapy environment using CR technology. The Solution allows the acquisition of digital CR images in the radiotherapy application areas where conventional radiographic imaging is used today. The Radiotherapy Solution can be used for simulation, low dose portal imaging (localisation), high dose portal imaging (verifi cation) and documentation by hardcopy printing for radiotherapy.

Neill Roberts, Research Radiographer at Cookridge Hospital, Leeds, then went onto give a presentation on his and his colleagues’ experiences of CR and Agfa’s Radiotherapy Solution. Lynne Callaway then asked for delegate feedback on Agfa CR training courses, before demonstrations of the equipment were given by Mark O’Herlihy.

Agfa offer three training courses in CR – an Introduction to PACS & CR Technology, Advanced CR, and Quality Assurance for CR. All three courses recently received CPD endorsement from the College of Radiographers and are held at the training suites at Brentford and Leeds, costing £220 + VAT each.

Further information from: Bill Reid Agfa HealthCare Tel: 020 8231 4900 E-mail: [email protected]

Mark O’Herlihy demonstrates Agfa’s CR Radiotherapy Solution to attendees

Draeger Medical UK announces 1st installation of Zeus in the UKDraeger Medical UK Limited today announced the 1st UK installation of the Zeus® anaesthesia system, one of the most advanced clinical anaesthesia systems in the world, at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

The Dräger Zeus will be used in the liver transplant theatre to replace the existing set-up and provide integrated patient monitoring and ARK (Automatic Record Keeping). Freeman Hospital is one of the fi ve centres in the country that provides a liver transplant service.

Zeus integrates all acute forms of anaesthesia applications, patient monitoring, and documentation. In addition to the manual control of fresh gas dosage, Zeus also allows for automatic control of oxygen and volatile anaesthetics ( T C A™ =Ta r g e t - C o n t r o l l e d Anaesthesia). Additionally, intravenous applications (TIVA = Total Intravenous Anaesthesia) can be controlled through the same operating concept. Zeus incorporates the Infi nity® Patient Monitoring System, and includes the capability to access web-based Anaesthesia Record Keeping and PDMS systems (Patient Data Management Systems).

Dr Digby Roberts, Clinical Director for Perioperative and Critical Care services and Consultant Anaesthetist for the Liver Transplant programme, describes how he commissioned the fi rst installation of Dräger Medical’s Zeus anaesthetic machine in the liver transplant theatre, along with nine Dräger Primus anaesthesia machines in other theatres. “I was looking for one integrated package and felt that Zeus addressed all my requirements: it pulled together monitoring, ventilation and anaesthesia. There is not a package available that I am aware of that integrates monitoring, and ventilation, nor one that delivers ventilation in the way it does, nor one that allows you to control the ventilatory climate the way it does, it is unique.”

Additional information is available on the Company’s website www.draeger-medical.com

PROACT Medical are pleased to announce that following a recent

BenchmarQ® customer satisfaction survey, we have achieved a company record score of 93% - this is deemed as “exceptional” by BenchmarQ®.

Five randomly selected customers of PROACT were asked to carry out a telephone survey which questioned our performance over 4 key areas – Marketing, Staff Performance, Service and Products, and Overall Satisfaction Achieved. All four areas gained a score of 85% or higher, with “Staff Performance” top scoring with 98.89%

Neil Manners, Managing Director wished to thank the respondents to this survey and also PROACT’s staff and distributors for their hard efforts over the year. “Without a solid team of staff and regional representatives coupled with the help from our distributors, we couldn’t have achieved such a high customer satisfaction award. As always there is room for improvement and we will always strive to do just that.”

A copy of the full report is available on the PROACT website: www.proactmedical.co.uk

Excellent low-flux outcomes with Polyflux™ LGambro Hospal Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gambro AB, brings an enhanced new design to its high performing Polyfl ux L dialyser. Improvements include a restyled header design, reduced primary solution volume and both advanced fi ber distribution and geometry. A new datasheet provides all the information on the specifi cations of the 14L, 17L and 21L range of Polyfl ux L dialysers.

The enhanced design of the header means a more thorough distribution of blood to all fi bers, with no stagnating areas, thereby reducing clotting potential. The micro-undulated fi bers ensure improved dialysate distribution and high KoA values. These enhancements help ensure that Polyfl ux L provides the best low fl ux outcome to date.

Polyfl ux L dialyser membranes are characterised by having an exclusive 3-layered, blended polymer fi ber, which gives excellence in clearance stability and compatibility. At the heart of the Polyamix™ membrane are the micro domains that limit specifi c cellular and protein interaction. As a result, less complement activation occurs, microinfl ammation is minimised, and thrombogeneric risks are limited.

Polyfl ux L dialysers bring users one step closer to excellence in dialysis therapies.

For more information on Polyfl ux L dialysers, or for a copy of the new datasheet, please telephone Gambro Hospal on 01480 444000.

Gambro Hospal: A better way to better care.




PROACT Medical’s customer satisfaction deemed as “exceptional” by BenchmarQ®.



Healthcare Business Awards provide boost to regional companies

Healthcare companies from across the region were recognised recently at the 2006 Medilink Yorkshire and Humber Innovation Day and Healthcare Business Awards, in association with the events main sponsor, Smith & Nephew.

The event, held at the Headingley Cricket Ground (venue sponsored by Leeds City Council) saw Leeds based Brandon Medical pick up two awards, including the ‘Smith and Nephew Overall Winner Award’ and the ‘Eversheds Export Achievement Award’, A leading medical lighting supplier in the UK, Brandon has seen exciting developments overseas; including a recent signing of the biggest contract in their company history last year, with corporate giant GE, to supply every hospital in Sri Lanka with operating lights.

Runners up for the Export Achievement Award were Batley based Park House Healthcare Ltd, and Leeds based Surgical Innovations.

Selby-based Medvance Ltd scooped the ‘Grant Thornton Customer Service Award’, the company provide clinical research and training services to medical device and pharmaceutical companies, and over 90% of new business comes through recommendations and returning business. Also short listed for this award were Leeds based Brandon Medical, and Sheffi eld based UK Medical.

The ‘MFL Science and Technology Best New Business’ award was given to Technostics Ltd, based in Kingston upon Hull. An emerging pharmaceutical development company, Technostics was formed just under three years ago in June 2003 by Professor Peter Dettmar. Specialising in the treatment of, and diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease. The other short listed candidates were Sheffi eld based Connexion2 Ltd, and Maltby based Microbiological Validation Services.

Finally, in recognition of outstanding innovation in the healthcare sector, it was Blueprint Innovation that came away with the ‘UDL Innovation Award’. The company have developed innovative products such as pressure bandages for anti scar and burns treatment and a pelvic fl oor toner; with more on the way.

Runners up in the Innovation category were Rotherham based Dawmed International for their fi rst to market product AERclens, which is designed to decontaminate nasendoscopes (used exclusively in ENT Departments)’. The other runner up in the Innovation Category were Leeds based Technovent, for their Innovative magnet overcoming problems with implant retained maxillofacial & dental reconstruction treatments.

In addition, the Beacon Award for Outstanding Contribution to Healthcare, presented by the Royal Bank of Scotland, sought to recognise the contribution of an individual to the healthcare sector. This honour was presented to Gareth Lloyd-Jones, for his work as Chairman of Medipex and Medilink Yorkshire and Humber, as well as with companies such as Smith & Nephew, also having promoted British Industry with great effect overseas, during two recent DTI Global Watch Mission to China and Japan.

“These awards recognise the level of excellence achieved by Yorkshire’s health technology companies and the contribution they make not only to the regional economy but also in enhancing the quality of patient care. We were delighted that the number of nominees for this year’s awards almost doubled – a clear testimony to advances being made in this thriving growth sector.” Said Kevin Kiely, Managing Director of Medilink Yorkshire and Humber. When responding please quote ‘OTJ’


RIGEL 300 RANGE FOR HIGH ACCURACY ELECTROMEDICAL TESTINGRigel Medical has incorporated improved test features in products across its Rigel 300 range of electromedical testers.

Incorporating NIBP testers, pulse oximetry analysers and a versatile patient simulator, as well as specialist testers for ventilators and defi brillators, the high performance Rigel 300 series is designed to verify the functionality of patient connected medical equipment.

In particular, the ability of all products in the Rigel 300 range to utilise long life battery power ensures maximum portability and convenient use by biomedical engineers, medical physics personnel and others responsible for in service testing and maintenance.

In addition, advance technical features in all fi ve of the Rigel 300 products ensure ease of operation and high quality measurement accuracy to provide engineers with a fast and effective means of troubleshooting and in-service testing to original manufacturers’ specifi cations.

For example, both the Rigel 311 NIBP tester and Rigel 322 electrical SpO2 simulator have a patented electronic design to ensure the high accuracy of test measurements and the Rigel 355 ventilation tester uses external pnuemo tachographs for maximum result reliability and accurate measurement performance.

In this way the comprehensive Rigel 300 range provides biomedical engineers with an accurate and effi cient means of ensuring patient safety.

More details on the full range of electromedical test equipment is available at www.rigelmedical.com.


OSSEODOC from Bien AirEasy-to-use Electrical control with autoclavable Basch motor and lead. ‘E’ standard ISO coupling makes it possible to use various handpieces, micro-saws and other surgical instruments. 4 motor speeds, touch control. Vibration-free operation in both forward and reverse; speed range from 500 to 40,000 rpm. Audible signal when in reverse mode. Peristaltic built-in pump; adjustable delivery rate.

Conforms to Electromagnetic safety standards 93/42/EEC and IEC 601-1-2.

STAND NO: 12, 28-30th June, BAOMS MEETING, EASTBOURNE

Contact: Bien-Air UK Limited, Tel: 01306-711303, www.bienairsurgery.com When responding please quote ‘OTJ’

MEDICAL DEVICE SET TO GO A STORM WORLDWIDE

Intelligent Orthopaedics, an innovative orthopaedics device company backed by Staffordshire University, has entered into a long-term global distribution agreement with BSN medical, a world leading medical device company.

BSN medical will be the global distributor for a new patented surgical device called Storm, the Staffordshire Orthopaedic Reduction Machine.

Storm was designed and developed by Intelligent Orthopaedics in association with Staffordshire University, Keele University, and the University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust.

Storm has been developed for reduction of lower limb fractures of the tibia and distal femur by providing controlled traction and alignment for lower leg fractures.

The use of Storm has been shown to signifi cantly improve fracture reduction and shorten operating times, and can easily used with all internal and external fi xation systems.

Staffordshire Univeristy Professor Peter Ogrodnik, who is Managing Director of Intelligent Orthopaedics, added “ We are very excited about this partnership.

“We have always believed that Storm is a global product and would change the way in which lower leg trauma is treated. Our partnership with BSN will enable us to concentrate on developing the next generation of fracture treatment devices.”

Tom Darcey, Fracture Management Marketing Director, said: “BSN medical is very proud of its new partnership with Intelligent Orthopaedics. The Storm device is an excellent innovation in fracture fi xation and works well as a progression of our business from traditional non-invasive fi xation to next generation surgical fi xation.

BSN medical has been the leader for many years in non-invasive orthopaedics and is now well-positioned as a free standing company to market a new, more effi cient fracture reduction device for surgery.”

For more information, contact Susan Hartman, Sales Director, at 01782 847840 or email [email protected]; or visit the Intelligent Orthopaedics website at www.intelligent-orthopaedics.co.uk or contact Tom Darcey, Fracture Management Marketing Director via email at [email protected]. Visit the BSN medical website at www.bsnmedical.com

Health professionals complacent when it comes to infection control

Over a third of health professionals are concerned about the cleanliness of endoscopy equipment used in hospitals and trusts. According to a survey carried out at the annual BSG conference in Birmingham by Sterilox, the producer of the UK’s only completely non-toxic endoscope disinfectant, the survey also showed that only 32% of those questioned worry that patient safety is affected by dirty endoscopes. The results come at a time when Patient Safety is becoming increasingly more important across the healthcare industry and health professionals are being squeezed to their limits with a crisis looming in NHS funding. Incorrect procedures for sterilising endoscopes affect patients and professionals. In June 2004 over 3,000 endoscopy patients were recalled in Northern Ireland following concerns regarding inadequate disinfection of 15 endoscopes. At the same time a Scottish health trust was found guilty of breaking health and safety regulations by exposing a staff nurse to glutaraldheyde, a toxic sterilant which can cause throat and lung irritation, breathing diffi culties, burning eyes and nausea.Paul Donnelly, Managing Director of Sterilox, said, “We have seen the problems associated with the transmission of infection due to inadequate decontamination over the past few years. The endoscopy nurses do a great job but they face challenges in delivering clean endoscopes in time for operations in a high demand environment. They are also subjected to sterilisers that irritate their skin. We are working closely with the industry to deliver a solution that works for patients, nurses, hospitals and hospital trusts. Sterilox is the UK’s only completely non- toxic, fast acting and effectively endoscope disinfectant. The company is the UK’s leading supplier of Automatic Endoscope Reprocessors (AERs) with a full range of instruments and disinfectant generators to meet all needs.www.sterilox.co.uk


New Datasheet on the PrisMARS kit for liver dysfunction

Gambro Hospal Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gambro AB, has published a new datasheet on its’ MARS® treatment kit type 1115/1 – The PrisMARS. The MARS molecular Adsorbents Recirculatory system therapy supports the function of the liver while waiting for recovery or until a donor organ becomes available.

The datasheet reveals the kit components to be made up of the MARS FLUX 2.1 dialyser, the PrisMARS fi lter, adsorber cartridges, a tube kit with heating bag, adaptors plus a manual.

The MARS Flux 2.1 dialyser is of the high fl ux type, especially suited for removing protein – bound items from the body via a human serum albumin (HAS) dialysate. The diafl ux 1.4 fi lter removes water-soluble toxins from the human serum albumin (HAS) dialysate of the MARS circuit. Full specifi cation of both components are provided, as well as the adsorber cartridges.

compositions and rinsing volumes of the PrisMARS kit are all provided on the datasheet, along with a fl ow diagram of how all the components fi t together. The MARS system is also depicted in tandem with the Gambro Hospal PRISMA CRRT system, to give combined detoxifi cation.

The PrisMARS 1115/1 kit is part of the MARS system, which offers elimination of protein bound and water-soluble toxins which accumulate during liver failure.

For a copy of the datasheet, please telephone Gambro Hospal on,Tel: 01480 444000Gambro Hospal: A better way to better care.

New Digital Holter ECG Recorder from Fukuda Denshi:

DigitalWalk FM-180Fukuda Denshi, a leading supplier of advanced patient monitoring and user-confi gurable clinical information management systems, has recently launched the new digital Holter ECG Recorder, DigitalWalk FM-180.

The compact ECG Recorder weighs only 78g including battery, and measures just 65mm x 62mm x 18mm. It sets new standards of durability and performance in extreme conditions including aquatic environments making it ideal for use in physiology labs, sports medicine and health clubs. This allows patients to maintain use during their normal lifestyles including bathing and showering.

The DigitWalk FM-180 uses smart Tri – axial sensors that simultaneously record and report a patients body position in relation to recorded ECG. A variety of screen confi gurations can be selected including 2/3 ECG, HR and time, HR and ECG. Additional benefi ts include:

Flexible recording options, allowing a choice of 2 or 3 channels of ECG recording. In addition, users can select either unipolar or bipolar lead confi gurations.Secure data storage on both a memory card and internal memory.Extensive Windows based holter software enabling multitasking including complilation of data for detailed reports. Information available includes Arrhythmia, Morphology, ST Event Review, Evaluation of R-R intervals and Heart Rate Variability.

For more information on the DigitWalk FM-180, please telephone Fukuda Denshi directly on 01483 728065.

Fukuda Denshi: Healthcare bound by technology. Please quote ‘OTJ’When responding please quote ‘OTJ’


Finsbury Orthopaedics adds a new Finsbury Orthopaedics adds a new dimension to hip revision surgerydimension to hip revision surgery

Finsbury Orthopaedics is now the exclusive UK distributor for the MRP-Titan revision hip replacement system manufactured by Peter Brehm of Germany. This adds a new dimension to hip revision surgery by providing surgeons with modularity and security to overcome problems of hip reconstruction.

Since Finsbury’s ADEPT® System is fully compatible with the MRP-Titan revision stem, surgeons are given greater intraoperative choice when reconstructing a patient’s hip. Used in combination with Finsbury’s large head and cup (ADEPT system) additional stability is achieved in patients with poor soft tissue support. This combination has already been used with highly satisfactory results in several UK patients.

MRP-TITAN revision hip replacement systemPeter Brehm is acknowledged as a leading German orthopaedic prosthesis designer and manufacturer with business practices that parallel those of Finsbury. Both companies are of a similar size, where patient well-being is paramount, product precision, high quality and advanced technology are common features.

Finsbury, the pioneer in hip resurfacing products, has an established UK sales network and is held in high regard by orthopaedic surgeons. It was the logical option for Finsbury to forge this alliance with Peter Brehm to expand on their current UK activities in the fi eld of hip replacement.

Mike Tuke, Finsbury Managing Director and co-founder, says: “The compatibility of Finsbury’s ADEPT® Hip System and the MRP-Titan stem provides a great combination in hip revision especially when the surgeon is reconstructing within the limitations of inadequate soft tissue”. MRP –TITAN Stem

TOP MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT HEALTH TEAM MAKE SPECIAL VISIT TO KENT MEDICAL CHEMICAL COMPANY

A top government delegation from the Malaysian Ministry of Health made a special visit to the UK’s leading manufacturer of hospital and veterinary disinfectants, MediChem International based in Kent.

The Malaysian Deputy Minister of Health Dr Abdul Latiffahmad and a party of senior health offi cials from Kuala Lumpur made a two-day stopover in London on their way back from an international health conference in Dubai. During their stay they were given a tour of the headquarters of the London Ambulance Service and will also visit some of the capital’s other key health provision organisations.

The Malaysian delegation announced a wish to visit MediChem’s factory on a fact-fi nding mission to look at the company’s medical hygiene and sterilisation products. The visit was in line with offi cial approval for the supply of high-level infection control products to the Malaysian healthcare industry.

MediChem’s Managing Director Rick Hayman said: “The high-powered Malaysian delegation appeared to be especially interested in the company’s TriGene high-level disinfectant, because the Malaysian Ministry of Health has already granted approval for our PeraScope, the endoscope sterilising solution.

TriGene was recently approved and successfully registered at the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the Peoples Republic of China (GAQSIQPRC), as being effective against the H5N1 strain of Avian Infl uenza, to be used by all importing and exporting businesses at all ports of China, and approval for its use in Malaysia is imminent”.

“Much of our production of medical disinfectant is already shipped overseas for use by healthcare sectors of many countries, and now the Chinese Government have registered its use they have started importing TriGene, which has been used within the Malaysian health authorities for many years. We were honoured that Dr Latiffahmad and his team made such a special detour to Kent during their visit to London to come and inspect our production facilities.”

MediChem International Ltd www.medi-chem.com

Left to Right: Mr Chris Lee (Director – MediChem), Malaysian Security, Mr Clive Morris (Director – Schmidt Biomedtech), Mrs Latiffahmad, Dr Abdul Latiffahmad (Malaysian Deputy Minister of Health), Mr Rick Hayman (Managing Director – MediChem), Mr Kazal Sinha (Malaysian Head of Engineering), Mr Jim Hayman (Chairman – MediChem), Mr Baharuin Monshie (Political Secretary to Malaysian Deputy Minister of Health)

ORTHOVIEW EXPANDS ITS SELLING ACTIVITIES

OrthoView, providers of orthopaedic digital planning and templating solutions plans to expand the Company’s selling activities. OrthoView has appointed Alan Shaw to spearhead its new direct selling initiative in the UK.

Alan brings a wealth of experience to the new post, having been employed by, and worked with, major blue chip companies in the roles of Senior and Regional Account Manager, Senior Business Development Manager, Area and Territory Manager. Alan was previously Territory Manager with Stryker Limited, and has also worked for Kodak UK and Ikon Offi ce Solutions.“I am looking forward to working with the team at OrthoView. As Territory Manager at Stryker, I was responsible for selling Minimally Invasive (keyhole) Surgery technology to surgeons and I gained fi ve years radiology experience whilst with Kodak. I hope to be able to bring this background knowledge to my new position. I have been impressed with the approach of OrthoView; a professional, yet lively Company, with a market leading product and innovative plans for the future.” To date, OrthoView has been available to purchase through imaging vendors such as GE, Kodak and Fuji, as part of a PACS installation. However, with the recent introduction of the Server, Web and Workstation versions, OrthoView now offers total fl exibility for any hospital requirement.Verity Woodward, Marketing Manager at OrthoView says, “The potential for orthopaedic surgeons to be able to plan procedures on screen opens up new possibilities for surgeons to have everything they need at their fi ngertips. With the introduction of the new versions of OrthoView, any hospital can now install and use our solution, regardless of which PACS they are using. Although we are still selling through our established PACS partners, we have taken the decision to sell direct as we feel every surgeon in the UK would benefi t from access to OrthoView”.Visit our website: www.orthoview.comFor further information contact: Verity Woodward, Marketing Manager, Tel: 02380 762500 or E-mail: [email protected] When responding to articles please quote ‘OTJ’


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The Finsbury Orthopaedic Education Institute, in Partnership with Key Opinion Leaders, Announce an InnovativeEducation Programme

Theatre SymposiumWednesday 26th July 2006Designed for:

Senior Orthopaedic PractitionersOrthopaedic Surgical Assistants

Course features

• Hip Resurfacing

• X-Ray Case Studies

• Instrumentation Display

• Dry Bone Workshops

• Modular Head Options and Rationale

• Factory Tour

• Venue: Lecture Theatre at Finsbury Orthopaedics Limited, 13 Mole Business Park, Randalls Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 7BA

• Pre course dinner to be held prior to course on Tuesday 25th July 2006 and accommodation arranged locally

For registration; preliminary programme and any other enquires,please contact:

Education & Events CoordinatorTel: +44(0)1372 360830 or E-Mail: events@fi nsbury.org


Labcaire has unveiled an all new Automated Endoscope Reprocessor (AER) that radically redraws the performance and usability boundaries for this type of instrument. Called Autoscope Isis, the new instrument halves the processing time compared to conventional AERs, with a total cycle time of just 20 minutes.

A kinetic cleaning process and elevated temperature capability means that optimum operating conditions can be achieved for every commercially available detergent and AER disinfectant mixture that satisfi es Labcaire’s Approval Procedures. Compatibility with different detergents and disinfectants is also a major benefi t for users, freeing them from dependence on a particular combination of process chemicals and allowing them to purchase more cost-effectively.

Despite a small footprint of less than one square metre, Autoscope Isis will clean and reprocess either one or two endoscopes simultaneously. Each endoscope is mounted independently on its own load carrier and process effi ciency is guaranteed by automatic leak testing, individual channel monitoring throughout the cycle, thorough rinsing to ensure that chemicals are not carried over to the next patient and an automatic channel drying cycle.

The revolutionary design was driven by the strict requirements of HTM 2030 & prEN ISO 15883 (part 4). Developed as a pass-through design, which will be especially useful in many new build projects where the concept is being adopted increasingly, Autoscope Isis may also be specifi ed as a stand alone system. Whether single- or dual-sided, the inclusion of a transparent window in the chamber means the scopes are visible throughout the washing process.

For pass-through installations, the unit is sealed into the wall. All maintenance and servicing of Autoscope Isis, whether pass-through or stand alone, is performed via the access panels on the loading side. This eliminates the need to remove the pass-through units from the wall at each service visit and potentially upsetting the balance between clean & dirty rooms.

Labcaire Systems Limited is a leading supplier of automated endoscope reprocessors (AERs), bench-mounted and mobile fi ltration fume cupboards, laminar fl ow cabinets, microbiological safety cabinets, tissue culture cabinets and PCR cabinets. Labcaire sell directly in the UK and through a comprehensive network of distributors throughout the world. The company is based at 175 Kenn Road, Clevedon, Somerset, BS21 6LH.

Labcaire launches Revolution in Endoscope Cleaning & ReprocessingAutoscope Isis cuts processing times in half to radically redraw performance and usability limits for Automated Endoscope Reprocessors (AER)


BETTER ADVOCACY RIGHTS FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT CAPACITY

Report published on results of IMCA consultationParticularly vulnerable people who lack capacity to make their own decisions will be supported and represented by a new Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA), under detailed proposals announced by health minister Rosie Winterton.

The IMCA service will mean that certain people who lack capacity - this may include people who suffer from dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury or a very severe learning disability - will be helped to make diffi cult decisions such as medical treatment choices or changes to residence. It is aimed specifi cally at those people who do not have relatives or friends to speak for them.

The Department of Health today published the results of last year’s public consultation which covered important operational details in setting up the IMCA service. These include:

* the main functions the IMCA will carry out;* how to defi ne “serious medical treatment” - one of the triggers for involving an IMCA;* whether to extend the service to cover other groups of people or different circumstances.

The scheme was introduced under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and implementation is planned for April 2007.

Rosie Winterton said: “This report demonstrates the Government’s commitment to supporting the most vulnerable people who lack capacity in relation to particularly diffi cult situations. We have listened to the views of respondents about the need to develop a high quality service, and I am pleased that we can now move closer to making this service available to the people who need it most.”

The Health Professions Council (HPC) consulted on proposals for a new ‘Returners to Practice’ process from 1st July 2005 until 9th September 2005. When all the responses were received (49 responses from organisations and 17 from individuals) they were analysed and assessed in order to draw out the key themes. As part of the consultation process, the HPC also investigated the various approaches taken by other regulators.

Article 19(3) of the Health Professions Order 2001 allows the HPC to, require persons who have not practised for or during a prescribed period to undertake such education or training or to gain such experience as it shall specify in standards... The inclusion of the phrase “in standards” means that the HPC cannot carry out individual assessments of returners’ requirements. The standards can make different provision for different classes of returner. However, they must do so on an objective and non-discriminatory basis, so that a person who, for example, has been out of practice for a certain number of years can identify what is required of him or her from those standards and without the need for any form of individual assessment.

The following decisions have been made with regards to those returning to practise after a period ‘out of practice’:

1. Health professionals who have been out of practice will be required to complete a period of updating before they can come back onto the register. They should complete this period before they apply for ‘readmission’. The period required are as follows:

- 0-2 years out of practice: no requirements, - 2-5 years out of practice: 30 days updating, - 5 or more years out of practice: 60 days updating.

2. Individuals who wish to return to work can structure their updating period to include the following activities:

- supervised practice; - formal study; or - private study. (Private study should make up no more than half the updating period.)

3. Returners will need to complete their updating period within twelve months immediately preceding the date on which they apply to be readmitted to the register.

4. Our return to practice requirements will also apply to those individuals who apply for registration for the fi rst time, whose approved qualifi cation was completed more than fi ve years ago.

The new requirements will come into force from July 2006, and apply to anyone returning to practise.

Rachel Tripp, Policy Manager at the HPC said, “Health professionals may take a break in their practice for many reasons, including time to care for their family, time spent travelling, or a period of pursuing a different career path. It is vital that we set up a system which allows these people to return to the Register, and to update their knowledge and skills in a personal way which combines fl exibility and public protection, so that they can then return to the workplace as safe and effective practitioners. We believe that our new system will do just that.”

To download the document, see this link http://www.hpc-uk.org/publications/index.asp?id=98

Health Professions Council launches new ‘Returners to Practice’ process


Plus Orthopedics (UK) LimitedBarbury House, Stonehill Green, Westlea, Swindon SN5 7HB UKTelephone 01793 719 222 Fax 01793 619 222 www.plusorthopedics.co.uk

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High Profi le Results with Low Profi le Volk NC Surgical WA (ACS) Lens

As the need for durable, sterile optical lenses increases, Volk Optical continues to keep pace with industry demand with a new lens for vitreoretinal procedures. The NC (non contact) Surgical WA (wide angle) (ACS™) Lens pairs superior optics and convenience in a low profi le, autoclavable lens.

Designed for use with a non contact system and operating microscope, the NC Surgical WA (ACS) provides a wide angle view (to 120°) for visualization of the retina out to the equator. The low profi le ring minimizes interference to fi eld of vision. To supplement the operating microscope, the lens has an image magnifi cation of .43x and laser spot magnifi cation of 2.33x.

As part of the Volk’s AutoClave Sterilizable (ACS™) line, the NC Surgical WA (ACS) can be safely steam sterilized with an in-offi ce autoclave for reuse with minimum turnaround. Volk’s proprietary PermaView™ glass withstands repeated sterilization, preventing the formation of mineral deposits often associated with frequent sterilization cycles. High index glass and Volk’s patented double aspheric design assure optical quality with undistorted views. The lens is compatible with the Oculus BIOM system.

Volk Optical is an innovator in the design and manufacture of diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical ophthalmic lenses, equipment, and accessories. The company is based in Mentor, Ohio, USA, and has representatives and distributors around the world. To order or obtain more information about Volk products, visit www.volk.com, phone Volk at 1-800-345-8655 (+1 440-942-6161 outside the United States), or contact your Authorized Volk Distributor.

The NC (non contact) Surgical WA (wide angle) (ACS) Lens delivers image clarity and autoclave convenience for vitreoretinal procedures.


NHS COULD SAVE £78M BY IMPROVING STAFF PRODUCTIVITY AND MANAGING

AGENCY STAFF COSTSHealth Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, has highlighted recommendations from an NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement’s report, showing that £78m could be saved by the NHS by driving down agency spend and improving staff productivity.

Speaking at the Human Resources (HR) in the NHS conference in Birmingham, the Health Secretary underlined the potential savings to be achieved through managing staff effectively.

Patricia Hewitt said:

“Most NHS resources are invested in staff so using staff as effectively as possible is crucial for patient care, staff satisfaction and fi nancial effi ciency. The HR function has delivered some major achievements in recent years and I congratulate you on them. Now we have a real opportunity to drive forward the productivity agenda.

“Effective management of temporary staffi ng costs is one of the highest impact HR changes. Nursing has made the greatest reduction in agency costs out of all staff categories as the overall agency spend is continuing to decline, down from £1.4bn in 03/04 (5.1% of pay bill), to £1.3bn in 04/05 (4.2% of pay bill).

“And whilst these reductions are signifi cant, further action is needed. Based on 2004/05 fi gures, if all NHS Trusts reduced their agency spend to the national average, that would release around £78m for other improvements in the NHS.”

The Institute will shortly be publishing a document “Delivering Quality and Value – Focus on Productivity and Improvement.” This document will identify where to focus activity for the greatest potential productivity and effi ciency gains.

The creation of an in-house ‘bank’ of staff at North Bristol NHS Trust in 2004 has achieved a reduction from an average 5,300 agency shifts per month in 2003 to under 500 by the end of 2005.

In addition Bank staff provide better continuity of care which in turn contributes to better patient satisfaction. NHS Trusts are encouraged to use the NHS’s own bank staffi ng organisation, NHS Professionals, or ensure their high standards of NHS employment practice are rigorously adhered to for in-house bank staff recruitment.

On top of this, the Trust saved at least £100 per shift that was covered by its bank staff rather than an expensive external agency which resulted in a £6 million save in spending on temporary staff in 2004/05 compared to 2003/03.

The Health Secretary also encouraged NHS Trusts to reduce their sickness and absence levels in order to curb agency staffi ng spend.

The sickness absence rate for acute trusts varies from under three percent to over six per cent across the country. Reducing sickness rates to even average levels would create savings for each trust with a higher than average rate.

Overall Agency spend is continuing to decline, down from £1.4bn in 03/04 (5.1% of pay bill), to £1.3bn in 04/05 (4.2% of pay bill). This is the lowest percentage level in 6 years.

Where the NHS uses agency staff, NHS Trusts are encouraged to only use Agencies which have signed up to the Purchasing and Supply Agency (PaSA) Agency Framework Agreements. Agencies on the agreement must comply to strict cost and quality criteria.

The National Agency Staffi ng Project, led by South West London SHA which was launched by Lord Warner in May 2005 has highlighted a number of NHS Trust best practice initiatives which demonstrate ways to achieve value for money and improve quality of services to patients through consistent and continuous care.

These may be obtained from: www.agencybestpractice.nhs.uk


Major Medical Advance from Small British Company Could Save Lives and Reduce NHS Costs

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms (AAA) are responsible for the deaths of over 10,000 people every year in the UK. Known as the ‘silent killer’, AAA is a balloon-like enlargement of the aorta, the main blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart, which can rupture without warning, often resulting in death..

The Aorfi xTM stent constitutes a technological and healthcare breakthrough in surgical procedures for AAA. In contrast to open surgery, minimally-invasive stent-graft repair with Aorfi xTM is expected to be a major benefi t to both patients and the NHS.

According to Professor Brian Hopkinson (emeritus professor of vascular and endovascular surgery at Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham) patients receiving open surgery could stay in hospital for 10-14 days, 2-3 of which would be in intensive care. Approximate costs for intensive care beds run at around £1000 per day. Treating AAA with an Aorfi xTM stent requires a hospital stay of 2-4 days, none of which are in intensive care. Further benefi t for the patient is in a shorter recovery time - approximately 1 month with Aorfi xTM compared to 3 months with open surgery.

Lombard Medical’s ‘next-generation’ stent-graft, Aorfi xTM, has demonstrated its positive performance and safety in new pan-European clinical trials. Results of the ARBITER I study, recently announced at the renowned Charing Cross International Symposium held at Imperial College, London, showed that this British-designed and manufactured device was safe and performed extremely well in terms of both technical and clinical success.

Following feedback from the successful ARBITER trial, Lombard has further enhanced the Aorfi xTM device with improvements such as increased fl exibility of the delivery system, making it even easier to use in people with complicated anatomy and challenging aneurysms. This upgrade adds to the existing benefi ts of Aorfi xTM which include durability and a fi xed design with four secure double hooks aimed at preventing migration. Aorfi xTM is also patient-friendly which means the stent-graft does not fi ght with the anatomy, which can lead to kinking, but instead works with the body to conform to the shape of the vessels and increase the comfort factor. When compared to other available stent-grafts, Aorfi xTM was the only device which did not develop endoleaks.1

Professor Hopkinson has been using the device for the past four years and says “It works – it goes where you want it to, it stays there and continues to function. Its fl exible, doesn’t leak, doesn’t move and it is particularly good for the diffi cult cases with awkward angles and bends”

References1. Lombard Medical; January 2006. Lombard Medical reports new

data demonstrating that its Aorfi xTM stent graft reduces the risk of endoleaks in angulated necks. Press release.

2. Hinchliffe RJ, Macierewicz J, Hopkinson BR. Cardiovasc Surg 2004; 45: 285-91.

Smiths Medical wins $3 million contract with Massachusetts General Hospital

Smiths Medical recently announced a $3.4 million contract with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) for 1,365 syringe pumps.

The Medfusion™ 3500 syringe pumps with PharmGuard™ Medication Safety Software – the most recent innovation in Smiths Medical’s infusion technology – will be used by many departments at MGH.

This is a leading-edge infusion system that incorporates specifi c confi guration profi les, a drug library composed of more than 4,000 entries, over 100 dosing units and safety dose limits on all infusion parameters to help reduce medication errors that may otherwise occur.

The smart pump’s rapid occlusion detection technology with FlowSentry™ offers a comprehensive array of pressure-related safety features. Its graphic display of pressure trend allows for earlier clinical intervention.

The Medfusion™ 3500 syringe pump imports and exports data and protocols and may be adapted and customized to interface with bedside environment. Its PharmGuard™ safety reports provide valuable information required for improved processes and medication delivery practices in the critical care environment.“This contract presents a great opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness and versatility of Medfusion™ 3500’s safety technology and data integration systems” said John Bond, Global Director of Marketing for Safety Infusion Systems at Smiths Medical.

“The use of Medfusion™ 3500 Syringe Pumps in the adult and paediatric departments of such a remarkable institution further enhances Smiths Medical’s presence and reputation in critical care environments across the United States.”“The MGH is committed to providing the highest quality, safest care possible to all patients,” said Ellen Kinnealy, RN, of MGH Biomedical Engineering. “The use of smart pumps, which contain vital information about specifi c medications, has enabled the hospital to make signifi cant advancements in the capability and safety of intravenous drug infusion systems.

“This technology is an important way to prevent errors and enhance clinical care. In fact, it can help raise the standard of medical care throughout the country.”

Massachusetts General Hospital is a world-renowned, 898-bed hospital located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1811, it is the oldest and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School.

This medical centre offers sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic care in virtually every specialty and sub-specialty of medicine and surgery with more than 3,500 births and 34,000 surgical cases each year. It is consistently ranked by U.S. News and World Reports as one of the top U.S. hospitals.

Smiths Medical, Hythe, Kent, CT21 6JL Tel: 01303 260551 Fax: 01303 266761www.smiths-medical.com



The UK ODP Message Group and Websitewww.theatrepractitioner.org.uk

Joining is easy, just send an e-mail, stating your name, e-mail address, position and Hospital to:

[email protected]

(Please quote “otj-online” somewhere within the message)

And that’s it, you are a member !

You can also join the group by visiting:

www.theatrepractitioner.org.uk and clicking on “message group” link

M E D I C A L

PROFESSIONALS

MP

We have evolved


The BUPA Foundation is to award £10,000 to recognise an exceptional example of work that demonstrates an improved clinical outcome for patients or clients using a multi-disciplinary approach.

The Clinical Excellence Award is one of six categories within the BUPA Foundation Awards scheme. The other fi ve awards recognise excellence in the following areas - Health at Work, Communication, Research, Care and Epidemiology.

Applications for the Clinical Excellence Award are encouraged from all disciplines. Entries must demonstrate effective care through multi-disciplinary collaboration and show an enhanced mutual understanding between clinicians - both of the different disciplines their roles demand, and the combined contribution they make to achieve better clinical outcomes. Entries may include clinical governance initiatives.

Last year’s award was presented to Dr Janet McDonagh on behalf of the Adolescent Rheumatology Team at the Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Trust. Dr McDonagh lead a groundbreaking NHS service catering specifi cally for the needs of adolescents suffering from arthritis. The chronic condition affects one in a thousand teenagers.

£10,000 CLINICAL EXCELLENCE AWARD BUPA Foundation Awards SchemeCall for Entries

Dr Janet McDonagh said: “Adolescent health and transitional care for young people with chronic illnesses are relatively new areas of clinical service provision, medical training and research. Doing all three can be at times challenging for health professionals in terms of time, energy and enthusiasm. Winning the award last year was a real boost to our team, affi rming and enthusing us to keep going in both our clinical and research work. The initial impact of the monetary award was the development and launching of our website - www.dreamteam-uk.org.”

Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen, BUPA medical director and governor of the BUPA Foundation, said: “Every year the standard of entries is extremely high. The Clinical Excellence Award judges will be on the look out for a multi-disciplinary approach that shows innovation and originality. Once again we are hoping to encourage a large number of clinicians in any discipline to put forward their ideas and achievements for recognition in 2006.”

Applications must be received by 3 July 2006 at the latest. For further information on how to enter the BUPA Foundation Clinical Excellence Award, please contact the Awards Administrator on 020 7656 2246. All category winners are invited to join a distinguished panel of judges at the BUPA Foundation Awards Dinner at Lincoln’s Inn in London, on 9 November 2006.

For more information on the BUPA Foundation Awards, please visit: www.bupafoundation.com/asp/awards/

A study by the University of Oxford’s Regulatory Policy Institute has found that Department of Health claims about the savings that can be delivered through the use of reverse eAuctions are exaggerated. They also point out that the eAuction approach can, in fact, lead to higher prices or lower quality products being supplied which cost more in the long run.

As the report’s authors put it: “We do not think the claims made for eAuctions would long survive the rigorous scrutiny of an external audit by a body like the NAO.”

The authors are also concerned that the promotion of eAuctions in UK public sector procurement could lead to organisations wasting signifi cant time, resources and money on an approach that does not deliver for them.

John Wilkinson, Director General of the Association of British Healthcare Industries, said:

“For some time our members have been concerned at the presentation of eAuctions as a magic bullet solution for procurement managers in the NHS. This study shows that there are real dangers in heading down this path without any evidence that this approach delivers real benefi ts.”

The report highlights instances where promotional literature on public sector procurement has made claims of massive savings delivered through the use of eAuctions that do not stand up to scrutiny. Savings that could be attributed to a number of factors were all treated as being generated by the eAuction process and savings in the pilots were extrapolated across huge chunks of NHS spending.

E Auction Hype Could Be Costly to NHSOne Department of Health promotional document claims that “E=£270M off the bottom line” was felt to be especially misleading. The headline fi gure was generated by applying the savings in 13 small pilot schemes to 30% of all NHS non-pay expenditure. The authors found that the savings in the pilots were likely to be overstated and any suggestion that they could be reasonably extrapolated across NHS spending ignored the huge range and complexity of products and services supplied to the NHS.

If suppliers think price is the most important factor in winning tenders then that will have an impact on their behaviour, the report found. Suppliers could downgrade quality in order to compete on cost and investment in product quality improvements could be hit as companies seek cost advantages over all others.

Researchers interviewed a number of major NHS suppliers and found widespread discontent with aspects of the eAuction approach. In particular the absence of clinical input in eAuctions and the overemphasis on price worried some suppliers. Another recurring theme was the inability of reverse eAuctions to take adequate account of factors such as quality and customer service.

The full report “Reverse eAuctions and NHS Procurement” by Tim Keyworth and George Yarrow can be downloaded here:

h t t p ://w w w. a b h i . o r g . u k /healthcareindustry/ukmarket/eAuctions.aspx

The Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI)www.abhi.org.uk

NEARLY a quarter of French operating theatres should be closed because they do not meet safety standards, a report commissioned by the government warned recently in a blistering attack on a health service long vaunted as the world’s best. To add to the woes of French doctors and their patients, the Hospital Federation of France, which represents almost all public hospitals, said yesterday the health service faced a defi cit of more than £1 billion for 2006. French hospitals receive £34 billion in funding each year. The French health service has long been praised for its high standards of care and almost non-existent waiting lists. But all this comes at a high price. The massive defi cit has developed in part because

French health service savaged over safetythe French take more prescription drugs than any other nation in Europe, but also because an ageing population is now putting more pressure on the health service while providing less tax revenue to fund it. Professor Guy Vallancien, general secretary of the National Surgery Council, which prepared the report at the request of conservative health minister Xavier Bertrand, said it recommended that 113 operating theatres - 23 per cent of the country’s total - be closed. The hospitals concerned, which all perform fewer than 2,000 operations a year, “do not respond to the criteria of safety, quality and continuity of treatment,” the report said. “We accept that these hospitals carry on performing

risky surgical activities when we wouldn’t allow an airport, department store or a business to remain open in such unsafe conditions,” Prof Vallancien said. Among the examples of hospitals with surgery facilities branded “intolerable” is one that boasts two surgeons, one of whom has been suspended for professional incompetence and one who lives 30 miles away. Doctors and managers at some of the 113 hospitals targeted by the report reacted angrily yesterday. “It’s hypocrisy to state that one is less well cared for in small hospitals. It’s the social security system which has been bled dry and they’re looking for scapegoats,” said Christian Le Doyen, a surgeon at Villefranche, near Lyon. The powerful Force Ouvrière union warned it would not accept closing

operating theatres “in the name of profi tability”. Mr Bertrand reacted to the recommendations by pledging “not to bury the report” although he said he “had no plans to close this or that operating theatre”. Paul Castel, president of the Conference of General Directors of Regional University Hospital Centres, said that hospital managers no longer knew which way to turn in order to make the budget cuts imposed upon them. He said the £1 billion defi cit was the equivalent of axing 23,000 hospital jobs. “Either we will have to carve into funding for personnel, which represents 70 per cent of spending, or we will have to sacrifi ce investments, that is to say modernisation, which would be appalling,” he said.

Source: The Scotsman


Capio New Hall Hospital is an independent hospital situated just outside Salisbury in Wiltshire. We deliver a full range of specialist surgical and medical services. The hospital is set in beautiful grounds and the original Georgian manor house now accommodates three theatres and wards. Consideration for our patients is at the heart of everything we do. We are constantly seeking new ways of working and bringing in fresh clinical practices that will improve outcomes for our patients. Our approach to service delivery, which currently includes working in partnership with the NHS, is courteous and professional. We take great pride in our ability to innovate and are now looking for bright and enthusiastic practitioners to join our team.

Due to expansion and staff promotion, we currently have the following vacancies:

Theatre Practitioners - Full Time/Part Time

Recovery, Anaesthetic or Scrub Practitioners We require experienced Theatre Practitioners (RGN/ODP) to help us deliver high quality care which is patient centred and efficient. All

specialities with the exception of Neuro and Cardiac are catered for.

You will need to be:

¶ Highly motivated and innovative

¶ Hard working and enthusiastic

¶ Able to provide a high standard of evidence based care

¶ Committed to improving clinical practice

¶ Able to demonstrate effective communication and patient focused care

In return we will offer you:

¶ A structured induction programme

¶ Continuing professional development

¶ Flexible working patterns

¶ Negotiable salary based on experience

¶ Life assurance

¶ Pension scheme

¶ Private healthcare insurance

¶ Profit sharing bonus

Informal enquiries are encouraged and welcome. For further information on any of these posts, please contact Joanne Kenny, PA to Clinical Services Manager, on 01722 435146.

All offers of employment will be subject to receipt of a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure Certificate from the Criminal Records Bureau.

Closing date for completed applications Friday, 2

nd June 2006

VOLUNTEER ANAESTHETISTS NEEDED TO HELP SAVE SIGHT IN DEVELOPING WORLD

International sight saving charity, ORBIS, is appealing for anaesthetists to volunteer and take part in its overseas training programmes to help prevent unnecessary blindness. The volunteer anaesthetists are needed to play a vital role in the charity’s training programmes to strengthen eye surgery capabilities of hospitals in developing countries.

ORBIS’s cadre of volunteer anaesthetists ensures the delivery of safe anaesthesia during surgical teaching cases that train local ophthalmologists in essential skills to treat conditions such as cataract, strabismus and glaucoma. As well as playing a support function, anaesthetists provide crucial training for their local counterparts, helping build a hospital’s anaesthesiology capacity to support ophthalmic surgery.

ORBIS training programmes have a dramatic impact on the ability of hospitals in developing countries to deliver eye care. To date the charity has worked in 84 nations, including countries as diverse as Ethiopia, India, Vietnam, Cuba, China and Bangladesh. Training takes place both in local hospitals and on board the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital and programmes range from one to three weeks in length.

Dr Isabel Aguilera, consultant anaesthetist at University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, recently returned from an ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital programme in northern Peru. Following the programme Dr Aguilera said:

“ I was very impressed with the educational aspects of ORBIS. This is a great teaching tool. Rather than operating on thousands of patients, they use it to train the local people. We stimulated them to improve their techniques, they were very enthusiastic and showed much interest.

I was involved in anaesthetising a premature baby of 1.1 Kg who needed general anaesthesia for laser treatment of severe Retinopathy of Prematurity. The communication between local anaesthetists, surgeons and ORBIS was very important and successful. The outcome was the best possible for the baby. “

In developing countries, hospitals often lack skilled professionals to provide quality eye care, particularly for children. This lack of trained medical professionals is a major contribution to the fact that 75% of the world’s 37 million blind don’t need to be. The criteria for becoming an ORBIS volunteer anaesthetist are: * Anaesthesia Board certifi cation * Residency in anaesthesia * Fellowship preferred (ideally in paediatrics) * Able to perform local anaesthesia blocks - peri-bulbar & retro-bulbar * Strong teaching experience - used to lecturing to large groups on a variety of topics

Anyone interested in applying or fi nding out more information about volunteering should contact Natasha Sharma, Programme Offi cer, on 020 7608 7277 or email [email protected].

New line in lead-free radiation protection

Always looking to expand its range, Anetic Aid is now offering a number of lead-free radiation protective aprons and accessories.

Manufactured by Burlington Medical, they are environmentally friendly - and 40% lighter than conventional lead vinyl models.

Designed for maximum comfort and protection, there are a number of styles and each item is offered in a wide variety of fabric and colour choices.

The accessories available include various size half aprons, thyroid shields and gonad shields, lead sleeves and leg wraps.

Call 01943 878647 or see www.aneticaid.co.uk for more details. Quote ‘OTJ’


www.wallacehind.com

hw ere the options are

LOOKING FOR ACAREER CHANGE?WE COULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITYYOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR.

If you have clinical experience in theatres or have previoussales experience into the acute sector and are looking for anew job we can help. Here are a few examples of our currentvacancies.

ORTHOPAEDIC SALESJoint ImplantsEast Midlands & London l £35k Basic plus open ended commission

TERRITORY SALES EXECUTIVEAnaesthetic equipmentNorth West l £30k plus bonus l Company car and benefits

THEATRE SALES EXECUTIVESurgical instrumentsLondon/South East l £35k basic plus quarterly bonus

PRODUCT SPECIALISTSpinal ImplantsHerts l £35k basic plus annual bonus l Company car and benefits

ORTHOPAEDIC SALESSpinal ImplantsHampshire & London l £35k basic plus open ended commission

Company car and usual benefits

THEATRE SALESDrapes GownsLondon/South East l £40k basic plus uncapped commission

Company car and benefits

For more details please contact our healthcare experts:

Teresa Gernon Jim KellyDDL 01604 683315 DDL 01604 683316Mobile 07734507766 Email [email protected] [email protected]

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The Industrie Forum Design in Hanover, Germany, has awarded the ‘iF product design award’ for innovative product design to Dräger Medical for their concept of the OR light Stella. The contest is one of the most important design competitions worldwide. For this year’s award, nearly 2, 000 entries from over 30 countries were submitted. Stella was launched in 2005.

While its design reminds you of a UFO, its range of service appears to be ‘supernatural.’ Like a twin star whose beams are close together and balls of gas exchange their brightness, Stella has two optical systems in a single body. They are joined at an optical axis, each with its own lenses, fi lters and refl ectors. The system also combines halogen and gas discharge technology. While the gas discharge system generates large area, shadow-free illumination, the halogen system provides an additional high-contrast depth illumination. As a result, the system is able to evenly illuminate both the area surrounding the wound and deep into the situs, supporting stereoscopic vision and preventing bothersome shadows from occurring as far as possible. The control design takes into account the demands of the individual medical practitioner by allowing the surgeon to set the optimal luminance by the constant, homogenous light cylinder and to adjust the depth of illumination using a sterilisable handgrip centrally located on the body of the light. The Stella concept accommodates the necessity to separate sterile and non-sterile areas to optimize the effi ciency of procedures and hygienic requirements before and during the operation.

In developing and conversion Dräger Medical’s product management worked closely with the agency BARSKIDESIGN from Frankfurt, Germany. “The idea was to create an OR light which has a high recall value,” explains Margret Hünerbein, product manager at Dräger Medical. “We are very proud to receive the award – a proof, that we reached our goal.”

Each year, the Industrie Forum Design holds a competition for the most innovative product design of the year. Entries can be for any product, from a bike to a cell phone. The criteria that the judges look for includes workmanship, choice of material, ergonomics, functionality, visual appeal, and safety.

Additional information is available on the Company’s website www.draeger-medical.com

Dräger Medical’s Dräger Medical’s OR light Stella OR light Stella receives prestigious design awardreceives prestigious design award

Quote ‘OTJ’

SAFER NEEDLES ONE STEP CLOSER

- LYNNELiz Lynne MEP, Employment Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament, who has been campaigning for the use of safer needles in hospitals for a number of years welcomed a vote in the Employment Committee recently. Speaking after the votes on the 20th April she said:

“There are one million needlestick injuries each year across the European Union which could be prevented. The report we voted on today is calling for the use of old style needles and sharps to be eventually eliminated.

“Healthcare workers across the EU must be protected. We need a combination of better training, safer working practices and the use of medical devices that incorporate needle protection.

“If a healthcare worker is accidentally pricked they have to wait in fear to fi nd out if they have contracted diseases such as HIV or hepatitis. The evidence is there, the cost benefi t analysis has been done, we know it makes sense.

“I hope the European Commission will speedily bring forward proposals to protect healthcare workers as soon as possible.”

Xograph Imaging Systems introduces the Ziehm Vision RHigh powered C-arm designed

for interventional vascular procedures

Xograph Imaging Systems, a leading independent radiology equipment supplier in the UK and ROI, has introduced the Vision R to its range of Ziehm mobile C-arm fl uoroscopy systems.

The Vision R, manufactured by Ziehm Imaging and available exclusively from Xograph, offers high-powered capabilities for demanding interventional vascular procedures such as those performed in cardiology and offers an alternative to fi xed angiography systems costing many times more.

The Vision R has a powerful pulsed generator with rotating anode X-ray tube built into a compact

monoblock.

This provides superb image quality and low dose capabilities. The monoblock is compact in design and does not compromise the C-arms excellent manoeuvrability and easy handling.

The Ziehm Vision R administers the lowest possible dose to both patients and staff using Ziehm’s Automatic Dose Reduction System together with Motion Detection – part of the Ziehm unique Object Detected Dose Control feature. The units lines are kept clean as no external HT cables are required. Ziehm’s unique Advanced Active Cooling System enables almost

limitless fl uoroscopy time, removing heat faster than it

can be accumulated. This is especially benefi cial in lengthy interventional and vascular procedures.

The high frequency true pulse generator offers industry-leading mobile pulsed fl uoroscopy

c a p a b i l i t i e s from 1 pulse per second up to 25 pulses per second. Short pulse

widths of between 4

ms and 30 ms

provide crisp and crystal-clear images even with a fast moving subject, something that is highly appreciated in coronary-angiography applications. The option of wireless connectivity adds further to the range of possibilities provided by this highly versatile mobile imaging package.

Neil Staff, Technical Director at Xograph Imaging Systems, states, “The Vision R is a welcome addition to the acclaimed Ziehm range of mobile surgical imaging systems as it provides functionality for highly demanding, minimally invasive interventional procedures in areas such as cardiology, urology, neurology and orthopaedics. Users trialling the system have been astonished by the capabilities of the system when compared to their existing fi xed angiography systems costing many times more.”

Xograph is the exclusive technology partner of Ziehm Imaging in the UK and Republic of Ireland. This supply and support relationship has been in place for 6 years and in this time Xograph has been awarded a number of distributor awards by Ziehm.www.xograph.com Quote ‘OTJ’

NHS IT SYSTEMS SHOULD BE REVIEWED -

WEBB Responding to a letter written by a group of more than 20 leading computer scientists to MPs, calling for an urgent review of NHS IT systems, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Steve Webb MP, said: “They are absolutely right to call for the Health Select Committee to investigate the NHS IT programme. “Parliamentary scrutiny of this massive programme is almost non-existent as the government hides behind the excuse of commercial confi dentiality. “We urgently need to know what is happening with this project - both for the sake of the taxpayer and the health service.”

Lawrand Ltd Medical Publisherswww.lawrand.com

ODP/Theatre Practitioner Yorkshire£ Top rates of pay

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Locum theatre practitioner required ongoing in this busy Midlands hospital. Starting may 06'. Top rates of pay. Apply now. Accommodation available onsite.

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Locum theatre practitioner with ortho & opthalmic skills required ongoing in this busy department. Top rates of pay available for suitable candidate. Apply now.

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ODP/Theatre Practitioner South West£ Top rates of pay

Permanent theatre practitioner required, Anaesthetics/Recovery from June 06'. Locum position may be offered until such time that a full time member of staff is located. Accommodation available onsite.

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Medirec are continually searching for new and enthusiastic locums to register and cover the extensive network of positions available throughout the UK.

Register your details online www.medirec.comor call free on 0800 195 2555

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Multi Skilled ODP required for an initial 3-4 month locum position in this busy Sussex hospital. Start date in May/June 06' accommodation available. Call now to apply.

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Documents

The Operating Theatre JournalThe Operating Theatre Journal is published twelve times per year. Available in electronic format from the pages of and in hard copy to hospitals throughout