search.noResults

search.searching

saml.title
dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
NEWS Biomedical apprentices recognised by awards


Avensys UK is recognising the fantastic work undertaken by bio-medical apprentices by launching the Avensys Apprentice of the Year Awards. “The last 12 months has seen hospital equipment used around the clock, and EBME departments and third party service and maintenance companies such as Avensys have had to work incredibly hard to ensure that the equipment remains in perfect working order,” commented Joe Bowen, Avensys’ training academy manager. “As workloads have increased, hospitals that have taken on apprentices through the Avensys training academy have found them to be an invaluable resource, able to undertake tasks including the commissioning medical devices, providing support where colleagues are taken ill and working on COVID wards. Throughout the pandemic, the feedback from hospital employers has been fantastic – the apprentices have really stepped up, made a positive impact on the hospital and managed to keep up with the academic requirements of their work.”


Employers were asked to nominate apprentices for the award, stating in what way the apprentice had contributed to the smooth running of the department and citing any examples in which an apprentice had gone ‘over and above’. And the winners are: 1st Place: Daniel Britton from Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS FT


environment. An outstanding character and a valued member of the team,” said Lee Comins, workshop manager, Avensys UK.


Christopher Moore with award-winner, Daniel Britton (right), from Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.


“Dan was part of a team during the COVID-19 Pandemic that installed bedside monitors connected to the Central Station via a network– work point, assisting patients in isolation to be monitored from a Central Station. A remarkable achievement, accomplished in record time, thus improving patient care and reducing exposure to infection and it was recognised by the Trust,” commented Christopher Moore, principle technician, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS FT.


2nd Place: Devante Williams From Avensys UK “Devante has supported the Engineering team during the COVID-19 pandemic. Helping in the main workshop and delivering much needed medical devices to Nightingale sites around the country. He has learnt new skills and adapted to a rapidly changing


3rd Place: Alan Woodcock from Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust “Alan has been involved with acceptance testing and repairs of Respirator Hoods used in critical care during the COVID pandemic; as well as the additional medical devices we have received. The team can give Alan tasks in the knowledge he will complete the task autonomously, and ask for help should he require it. No job is ever too much, he is always the first to volunteer for anything that may need doing in the department. Alan is always prepared to go the extra mile,” said Ben Rodrigues, specialist healthcare team leader, Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust. “Everyone at Avensys would like to congratulate our winners, the rest of the nominees and all of our apprentices on doing a great job under difficult circumstances. These awards will now be an annual fixture, celebrating the achievements of Bio-Medical Engineering apprentices within hospitals,” said Joe. Apprenticeships are funded by the apprenticeship levy and are an excellent way to ‘grow your own’ talent and are delivered in partnership with Dudley College of Technology, an arrangement under which the apprentices benefit from the teaching experience of both partners.


Supporting people who have eating and drinking difficulties


The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has published updated guidance on how to support people who have eating and drinking difficulties, particularly towards the end of life. Over the past two decades there has been a dramatic change in patient populations in hospitals with an older demographic who have increasingly complex multiple long-term conditions, including cerebrovascular disease, degenerative neurological diseases and frailty. Difficulties with eating and drinking are common in these populations and the challenges they present to all concerned are considerable.


Decisions about nutrition and hydration and when to start, continue or stop treatment are some of the most challenging to make in medical practice.


As well as weight loss and dehydration, problems with eating and drinking may be associated with very serious physical complications including episodic laryngeal obstruction, aspiration into the trachea and bronchi, secondary pulmonary infection, and bronchiectasis.


The guidance covers the factors affecting ability to eat and drink, strategies to support oral nutrition and hydration, techniques of clinically assisted nutrition and hydration, and the legal and ethical framework to guide decisions about giving and withholding treatment, emphasising the two key concepts of capacity and best interests. Produced for medical and healthcare professionals, the guidance particularly supports those involved in caring for people who have eating and drinking difficulties, including gastroenterologists, ward nurses, geriatricians, dietitians, speech and language therapists, neurologists, palliative care teams, care home and community nurses. The newly updated guidance has been endorsed by the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, British Dietetic Association, British Geriatrics Society, British Society of Gastroenterology, Dementia UK, Malnutrition Task Force (Age UK), Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Dr. Aminda De Silva, chair of the working party, said: “We are really excited about this


12 l WWW.CLINICALSERVICESJOURNAL.COM


updated guidance on supporting people who are experiencing difficulties with eating and drinking. Its particular focus is on helping to steer through some of the complexities that can arise around nutrition and hydration towards the end of life and it aims to support healthcare professionals to work together with patients, their families and carers to make decisions that are in the best interests of the patient. “We assembled a wide group of specialist experts in areas including neurology, dietetics, speech and language, gastroenterology, law, ethics, care of older people and palliative medicine to create these guidelines which now take into account recent changes in the law and Supreme Court rulings, particularly with application of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. “Whether to start, continue or withdraw nutrition and hydration towards the end of life remains a contentious issue. We hope this document will guide an approach to finding a way through these difficulties that is legally sound, pragmatic and compassionate.”


APRIL 2021


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88