Contents


THE CLINICAL SERVICES JOURNAL


Volume 25 I Issue 9 I October 2026


Inside this issue


5 Comment AI: fear, facts and fantasy


www.clinicalservicesjournal.com


6 Cover Story:More capacity, same standards: expanding cataract surgery


When Newmedica needed to accommodate thousands of additional cataract patients without compromising its existing services, the answer was a mobile operating theatre at its Bristol Aztec West site.


9 News Volume 25 I Issue 9 I October 2026 THE CLINICAL SERVICES JOURNAL


41 Six enablers of reprocessing excellence In this article, John Kimsey outlines how six ‘enablers’ form the foundation to reprocessing success. Together, they provide a practical framework for achieving safe, compliant, efficient, and sustainable reprocessing operations.


A new direction for


NHS staff experience Pioneering advances in robotic bronchoscopy


Rethinking upper GI referrals


17 A new direction for NHS staff experience In this article, Mona Guckian Fisher, a former President of the International Federation of Perioperative Nurses, and former President of the Association for Perioperative Practice, discusses the new NHS staff standards and how organisations will be held to account for improving staff experience. She outlines how the new standards could lead to meaningful change.


21 A&E improvements ‘smaller than hoped for’ NHS England has increased resources and made small improvements, but while there has been progress on reducing waiting times, this has been slow and many of the expected benefits from its 2023 recovery plan have not yet been realised


25 Pioneering advances in robotic bronchoscopy HCA Healthcare UK’s London Bridge Hospital has carried out what is believed to be the first single-anaesthetic, Ion-guided robotic navigational bronchoscopy followed immediately by robotic lung resection. George Santis and Andrea Bille provide an insight.


30 Tackling risk and uncertainty At the Central Sterilising Club (CSC) Annual Scientific Meeting 2026 risk and uncertainty in decontamination was high on the agenda. The event, which took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Nottingham, highlighted some of the key challenges and best practice across the sector.


47 Engaging reluctant patients in lower limb self-care Successful implementation of lower limb self-care depends not only on clinical governance and professional confidence, but also on patient engagement. Andrew Kerr, Lisa Wood and Lesley McDonagh discuss the support required to overcome barriers to engage ‘reluctant’ patients.


53 Reforming MDT reviews in cancer care Professor Kevin Moore discusses why smarter data management matters more than an EPR overhaul, when it comes to reforming cancer care MDTs.


59 Reflections on the Helen Eisenhauer case A recent case in which a GP was suspended for faking appointments to fit in the school pick up has sparked controversy. Barrister, Alecsandra Manning-Rees, looks at what healthcare can learn from the case, the wider legal implications, what it means for public trust, and whether the tribunal decision was proportional given the social context.


64 Improving medication safety in hospitals George Lawton at GS1 explains why two-dimensional barcodes on medicine packs matter for patients, staff and medicines security.


Follow the CSJ LinkedIn page. Search Clinical Services Journal


37 Rethinking upper GI referrals Craig Vickery, a Consultant Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon, at West Suffolk Hospital, looks at how efficiency can be improved through the introduction of capsule sponge pathways. Around 64 per cent of patients presenting with reflux symptoms can be managed without the need for an endoscopy by moving to this approach.


THE CLINICAL SERVICES JOURNAL


Register your details to receive free copies of the magazine SCAN HERE


October 2026 I www.clinicalservicesjournal.com 3


▲


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