Theatres and decontamination
The importance of collaboration
How can hospitals improve theatre productivity and patient outcomes through better collaboration? This was a key theme discussed at a recent conference hosted by The National Performance Advisory Group (NPAG).
NPAG’s annual Theatres & Decontamination Conference, held on 19 May at the Radisson Blu Stansted, brought together NHS professionals, industry experts and partners from across operating theatres and decontamination services. Top of the agenda was the need for effective communication and collaboration between theatres and sterile services to improve efficiency and patient outcomes. The event was Chaired by Trevor Garcia,
previously the Chairman of the Institute of Decontamination Sciences, and Dale Atkins – an NPAG Business Associate with responsibility for the Resilience Development Network, the Security Network, the Nursing & Temporary Staffing Best Value Group, the Operating Theatre Managers Best Value Group and the Waste Management Best Value Group. Together with the speakers, they encouraged lively debate on a range of thought-provoking topics, such as: l Standardised versus clinical preference – who really decides what’s on a tray?
l Digital versus face-to-face pre-operative assessment
l Centralised decontamination versus local services
l Sustainability versus infection prevention – where do we draw the line?
In addition to these topic areas, Martin Kirk, from LaserLines, examined the expanding potential of bespoke 3D-printed implants and the downstream impact on theatre and decontamination workflows, including instrument design, cleaning considerations
UK. The event created an open environment where attendees could share experiences, benchmark approaches and take away practical ideas to apply within their own organisations. In this article, CSJ provides exclusive coverage of some of the key highlights from the conference:
Ajay Sooknah, Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust.
and traceability. There was also a discussion on Design for Life, innovation and NHS Supply Chain implications – featuring a member from the Decontamination BVG, Sean Allison (Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust), a Design for Life representative, and Ian Dodd, Clinical Engagement & Implementation Manager, Wound Closure, Mesh and Surgical Instruments, NHS Supply Chain. The conference addressed shared operational challenges, theatre/decontamination collaboration, purchasing governance, tray optimisation and the evolving role of instrument coordinators. A key strength of the event was the diverse
mix of delegates, representing theatre management, decontamination teams, clinical leaders and industry partners from across the
Every step in the surgical pathway depends on both theatres and decontamination working together. This is critical to the delivery of the 10-Year Plan and must span the entire surgical pathway.
Getting it Right First Time Setting the scene for the conference, delegates heard from Professor Tim Briggs, NHS England’s National Director for Clinical Improvement, Elective Recovery and UEC, on the importance of collaboration. A consultant surgeon at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust and Chair of the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme, he commented that every step in the surgical pathway depends on both theatres and decontamination working together. This is critical to the delivery of the 10-Year Plan and must span the entire surgical pathway – incorporating pre-assessment, patient readiness, instrument availability/tray management, theatre flow and turnaround times, infection prevention, sustainability, discharge and reprocessing cycles. “Looking at the 10-Year Plan and what needs
to be achieved, before March 2029, we need to return to the constitutional standard of treating 92% of patients within 18 weeks. Theatre productivity will be a crucial part of that and collaboration will be vital. GIRFT has been leading the theatre and perioperative programme for some time, looking at the whole pathway for pre-operative care, theatre productivity and post-operative care. “We support Trusts where needed and
produce guidance and training guides. We want to maximise efficiency, but also ensure we get the best patient outcomes, as we move forward, and provide care in the right settings,” he explained. Ultimately, the goal is to “get the right people, at the right place, at the right time,” he asserted. In order to deliver clinical outcomes and a patient experience to “be proud of”, the focus will need to be on the following:
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