NEWS
Patients’ hospital reviews reflect data on outcomes
Patients’ ratings of hospitals tally with objective measures of the hospital’s performance, according to an independent study published in Archivesof Internal Medicine. Since 2008, patients have been able to post
comments on and rate hospitals using the NHS Choices website, in the same way as they might rate a hotel on Tripadvisor. The system’s proponents suggest that it helps patients to choose the best services, but no previous study has investigated whether these online ratings are related to clinical measures of healthcare quality, such as mortality rates and incidence of hospital- acquired infections. Researchers at Imperial College London
examined 10,274 ratings of all NHS acute hospital Trusts in England submitted on NHS Choices in 2009 and 2010. They found that hospitals with better patient ratings tend to have lower death
rates and lower readmission rates. Hospitals rated by patients as being cleaner have lower rates of MRSA infections. “There are a lot of data available to the public
on hospital performance, but people rarely use conventional measures and often find them difficult to understand,” said Dr Felix Greaves, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, who led the study. “Our results suggest that NHS Choices ratings may provide useful and relevant information for patients making choices about their care.” The results also showed that the majority of
ratings were positive, with 68% of respondents saying they would recommend their hospital to friends. “This means it is not just used by people
wanting to complain about their care,” Dr Greaves said.
Development of the next generation of cancer surgery technology
Cancer Research Technology, the commercial arm of Cancer Research UK, has launched Acublate, a spin-out company which will develop a next- generation High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) surgery device to treat a range of solid tumour types. HIFU is a highly precise non-invasive type of
surgery which uses ultrasound energy to heat and destroy tumours while leaving surrounding healthy tissue intact. The treatment works with immediate benefit and has the potential to reduce side-effects compared with current alternative treatments. The Acublate device uses an advanced proprietary phased-array system – that is, it targets multiple points in the tumour at once. The system can be steered rapidly in 3D to target and destroy tumours. Initially, the Acublate device will treat patients with bowel cancer that has spread to the liver. But the technology has the potential to treat a range of cancers.
Cancer Research UK, Imperial Innovations
and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust funded the original research to develop the technology. The research was led by founding scientists physicist, Professor Jeff Hand, at Imperial College London and surgeon, Professor Paul Abel, at Imperial College London. Cancer Research Technology, with others, has
raised £145,000 to develop the clinical prototype which is expected to be ready within a year. Further funding will be required to run clinical trials of the equipment, with the first clinical data expected within 24 months. Dr Keith Blundy, CRT’s CEO, said: “The
HIFU technology currently approved for clinical use in the UKspecifically targets prostate cancer, but we hope the Acublate device will be able to treat most solid tumour types. It is also expected to treat patients more quickly, more effectively and with fewer side-effects.”
Blood pressure clue to heart risk
If there is a difference in blood pressure between a patient’s right and left arm, they may be at greater risk of dying from heart and circulatory disease, according to a new study. Researchers found that a difference in systolic blood pressure of 15 mmHG or more between arms was associated with an increased risk of peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Natasha Stewart, senior cardiac nurse
at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Theoretically, measuring blood pressure on
14 THE CLINICAL SERVICES JOURNAL
both arms to assess vascular disease risk is a quick and simple task. But it is too early to say whether this idea could become part of standard healthcare practice – we need more research to confirm the findings. It is very important that other risk factors, apart from high blood pressure, are taken into account to establish whether doctors need to take a closer look at someone’s heart disease risk.” The research, a meta-analysis of 28 different studies, was published in the Lancet.
£1,000 prize for medical volunteers
Perioperative practitioners are being urged to submit their applications for this year’s Hilda Winifred Mears Award to be in with a chance of winning £1,000 towards a trip overseas as a medical volunteer. The Hilda Winifred Mears award is presented annually and allows members to share their knowledge and experience in areas that do not benefit from free, quality healthcare. Hilda Winifred Mears was an active
member of the AfPP and held many perioperative posts both within the UKand abroad. She died in 2008, leaving a legacy to the association used to fund the award named in her honour. One of the winners in 2011 was Katie
Lai Choy Budden, who used the award to work with Mercy Ships, a global charity providing free surgery and medical support to some of the world’s most disadvantaged people. She joined the ship for two weeks during a voyage to Sierra Leone. “The time I spent on the ship was a
unique experience and enabled me to share my skills, helping to make a genuine difference to people less fortunate than myself. I feel privileged and very grateful that I was chosen for the Hilda Winifred Mears Award, and would recommend anyone who is interested in volunteering overseas to apply,” she commented. For more information on the
Hilda Winifred Mears Award, visit
www.afpp.org.uk/careers/awards where an application form is available to download. The closing date for applications is 14 April 2012. Award winners will be expected to undertake their placement within 18 months of the award being granted and funds will be released once a letter confirming their placement has been received.
Katie Lai Choy Budden. MARCH 2012
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