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Showing results for tags 'Obstetrics and gynaecology/ Maternity'.
Found 404 results
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Content Article
#NotNeurotic: The keeper of the caesareans
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Maternity
In this guest post for Hysterical Women, Nicola Chegwin writes about the needless stress, humiliation and anxiety of having to fight for a caesarean birth, as a disabled woman with a spinal injury. -
Content ArticleThis is a presentation detailing the manuscript which investigated the presence of pain during hysteroscopy, delivered by pain researcher, Richard Harrison to the annual meeting of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 2021.
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Content ArticleThis presentation was submitted by the patient group Campaign Against Painful Hysteroscopy, as an oral presentation to the British Society for Gynae Endoscopy’s Annual Scientific Meeting 2021. It includes patient testimonials and statistical data gathered around painful hysteroscopies and informed consent.
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Content ArticleIn this blog, pain researcher, Richard Harrison, reflects on the presentation he recently made to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, based on his research into pain during hysteroscopy. Follow the link below to read Richard's blog, or you can watch the RCOG presentation here.
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Content Article
Getting diagnosed with endometriosis: personal stories
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Women's health
Women share their personal experiences to Endometriosis UK of getting diagnosed with endometriosis. -
Content Article
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Neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) disease, also called 'neonatal herpes' or 'neonatal HSV', is a rare, and potentially fatal, disease which usually occurs in the first four weeks of a baby's life. It is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), the same virus that causes cold sores and genital infections. HSV infections are incredibly common in older children and adults and typically cause mild symptoms, or often no symptoms at all. There are some simple things you can do to help prevent babies from catching herpes infections. These include regular hand washing, covering cold sores and not kissing babies who are not your own. Click on the link below to find out more about neonatal herpes and how to keep your baby safe. -
News Article
Smear tests: Women to trial 'do-it-at-home' kits for NHS
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
About 31,000 women in London are being offered "do-it-at-home" tests to check for early warnings of cervical cancer, as part of an NHS trial. It could be a way to encourage more women to get screened, experts hope. Embarrassment, cultural barriers and worries about Covid, along with many other factors, can stop women going for smear tests at a clinic or GP surgery. Smear-test delays during the pandemic prompted calls for home-screening kits from cervical cancer charities. The swabbing involves using a long, thin cotton bud to take a sample from inside the vagina, which is then sent by post for testing. If the results reveal an infection called human papillomavirus (HPV) they will be invited to their GP for a standard smear test to closely examine the cells of their cervix. Dr Anita Lim, from King's College London, who is leading the YouScreen trial, said: "Women who don't come for regular screening are at the highest risk of developing cervical cancer. "So it is crucial that we find ways like this to make screening easier and protect women from what is a largely preventable cancer. Self-sampling is a game-changer." Read full story Source: BBC News, 24 February 2021 -
Content ArticleAt the First Do No Harm All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) meeting on 26 January 2021 with the Minister for Patient Safety, Nadine Dorries MP, attendees asked a large number of questions, not all of which could be answered by the Minister due to time constraints. The unanswered questions were submitted to the Minister’s office at the Department for Health and Social Care for a written response. The Department has now provided answers.
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News ArticleAt home early abortions pose no greater risk and allow women to have the procedure much earlier on in their pregnancy, research has found. The findings have sparked calls from leading healthcare providers for the option, which was rolled out in the wake of lockdown measures last spring, to be made permanent. Researchers, who conducted the UK’s largest study into abortions, discovered there were no cases of significant infection which necessitated the woman to go to hospital or have major surgery. The study, conducted by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service and MSI Reproductive Choices, drew attention to the fact that despite misinformation to the contrary, not one individual died from having an at home early abortion. Eight in ten women said at home abortions were their preferred choice and they would opt for it in the future, while waiting times from when the woman has her consultation to treatment improved from 11 days to 7 days. Dr Jonathan Lord, medical director for MSI Reproductive Choices UK, said: “Being able to access abortion care earlier in pregnancy has also reduced the low complication rate even further.” Dr Lord added: “Telemedicine has provided a lifeline for vulnerable women and girls who cannot attend consultations in-person. We have seen a major increase in safeguarding disclosures, including from survivors of domestic and sexual violence, as they can talk more freely about distressing and intimate details from the privacy of their own home at the beginning of the Covid emergency." Read full story Source: The Independent, 19 February 2021
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Content Article
Maternity and neonatal safety champions toolkit
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Maternity
This toolkit provides information and resources that will help maternity and neonatal safety champions to develop strong partnerships, promote positive professional cultures, and support the delivery of the safest care possible through best practice. Content includes: National maternity safety ambition Role of the Safety Champion How to support safer maternity care National support offer Further resources. -
Content Article
Transvaginal Mesh Case Record Review
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Women's health
On this site you will find information about the Transvaginal Mesh Case Record Review. This Review has been commissioned by the Scottish Government to address concerns raised by women about whether their case records accurately reflect the treatment they have received, specifically in relation to full and partial removal of mesh. -
Content ArticleIn this blog Patient Safety Learning reflects on responses received from Robin Swann MLA, Minister of Health (Northern Ireland), Jeane Freeman MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport (Scotland) and Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Health and Social Services (Wales), regarding concerns about painful hysteroscopy procedures in the NHS.
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Content ArticleIn this study, King et al. evaluate the knowledge of and nature of training for menopause management in postgraduate residents. The authors surveyed residency programmes, across internal medicine, family medicine and gynecology residents, and found that residents had maybe one or two total hours of education about menopause. About 20% said they’d had no menopause education, and only about 7% said they felt prepared to treat menopausal women.
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Content Article
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'Continuity of carer' in midwifery is when a woman has consistency in who they see during their pregnancy, labour and postnatal period. In this video, three midwives share their experiences of working in this way and talk about the benefits they've seen for women, babies and their own practice. They provide examples of how this model can improve the safety of services and offer advice for teams and individuals embarking on the continuity of carer journey. -
Content ArticleIn March 2020, the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) published a national learning report to highlight the themes emerging from the initial investigations carried out as part of their maternity investigation programme. These initial investigations were carried out between April 2018 and December 2019. One of these themes was babies significantly larger than average who were at increased risk of a birth injury, brain damage or very rarely death because their shoulders get stuck during birth (known as shoulder dystocia). This was identified as an area where further analysis could benefit system-wide learning.
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Content Article
Endometriosis: Laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Women's health
This leaflet covers laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis. It provides information for women who have been offered or are considering laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of endometriosis. -
News Article
Coroner calls for new guidance on umbilical venous catheters after baby’s death
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A newborn baby died after doctors caring for him failed to realise that the umbilical venous catheter (UVC) through which he was being fed and medicated was wrongly positioned, a coroner has found. Anna Crawford, assistant coroner for Surrey, called for guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on the use of the catheters after hearing that none currently exist. Yo Li was born extremely prematurely at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey on 11 January 2019 and transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit, where he was put on mechanical ventilation. A UVC was inserted but it was wrongly positioned within his liver tissue and he died four days later. Read full story (paywalled) Source: BMJ, 29 January 2021 -
EventThe Professional Records Standard Body (PRSB) are holding a workshop on 4 March to help us develop a shared decision-making standard, so that individuals can be more involved in the decisions that affect their health, care and wellbeing. The online workshop will bring together health and care professionals, patients and system vendors to focus on different topics including diabetes and other long-term conditions, mental health, child health, gynaecology, colorectal cancer, genetic conditions, multi-medications and orthopaedics. We will be asking questions about the way information about treatment and care options are discussed and decisions recorded. This would include consent for treatment, when it is agreed, and any pre-operative assessments and requirements. By standardising the process, it will ensure that information can be shared consistently using any digital systems. If you’re interested in getting involved in the project, please contact info@theprsb.org
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Content Article
Through the hysteroscope: Reflections of a gynaecologist
SairaS posted an article in Women's health
At Patient Safety Learning, we’ve been working with others to understand the issues surrounding painful hysteroscopies. In this interview, we talk to Obstetrics and Gynaecology consultant, Saira Sundar, about the process. She offers her clinical insight and highlights some of the challenges involved when it comes to managing pain during hysteroscopies. Saira also offers advice to colleagues and patients seeking to reduce anxiety and improve the patient experience.- Posted
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News ArticleSmear-test delays during lockdown have prompted calls for home-screening kits. Cervical cancer screening has restarted across the UK - but some women say they will not attend their appointments for fear of catching Covid. Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust is urging "faster action" on home tests for HPV, which causes 99% of cervical cancers. An NHS official said GP practices should continue screening throughout lockdown, and "anyone invited for a cervical smear test should attend". Cancer Research UK said it was not yet known how effective and accurate self-sampling could be in cervical screening. A survey by gynaecological cancer charity the Eve Appeal indicates nearly one in three missed smear tests are the result of people being "put off" by coronavirus. And a Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust survey during the pandemic suggests the same proportion would prefer to take their own human-papillomavirus (HPV) test rather than go to a GP. Acting chief executive Rebecca Shoosmith said coronavirus had added "more barriers" to going for a smear test. "Sadly those who found it difficult before are likely to be no closer to getting tested," she said. "Self-sampling would be a game-changer." Both charities emphasise smear tests are for "women and anyone with a cervix" and transgender and non-binary people may have additional barriers to going. Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust said DIY tests could also help people who had been sexually assaulted and those with disabilities or from backgrounds where smear tests were taboo. Read full story Source: BBC News, 21 January 2021
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Content ArticleIn this blog, Patient Safety Learning reflects on a recent response from Nadine Dorries MP, Minister of State for Mental Health, Suicide Prevention and Patient Safety, regarding concerns about painful hysteroscopy procedures in the NHS. Towards the end of last year, Patient Safety Learning published a blog outlining five calls to action that could be taken to improve the safety of hysteroscopy procedures in the NHS.[1] This has been an issue raised by patients, campaign groups and politicians in recent years, highlighting concerns that women having been suffering avoidable harm from hysteroscopies. We wrote to several key stakeholders in healthcare across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, to raise awareness of this issue and call for urgent action to prevent future harm. While we welcome the Minister in her response supporting the general principles of informed consent and good practice guidance for hysteroscopy, we know that many women are still not being offered a choice of pain relief or given adequate information before consenting to the procedure. It remains unclear from her response whether the Government will take action to investigate the frequency of these experiences and respond to improve hysteroscopy safety.
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News Article
Bullying on NHS maternity units and poor training a risk to safety, MPs told
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Doctors and midwives working in maternity services face higher levels of bullying than any other part of the NHS, MPs have been told. According to the General Medical Council, trainee doctors in maternity services report more than twice the level of bullying seen in the rest of the NHS while the Nursing and Midwifery Council said midwives were also more likely to be bullied. MPs on the Commons health select committee heard that the culture in some maternity units was a major barrier to improving safety and tackling poor care. In an evidence session as part of an ongoing inquiry into maternity care, MPs were also warned the lack of properly funded training was forcing some midwives to pay out of their own pocket. The inquiry by the committee was launched last year after repeated maternity scandals at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust and East Kent Hospitals University Trust. Giving evidence to the committee, Charlie Massey, chief executive of the General Medical Council said: “We do see in our data some quite troubling data around bullying." “If you are an obstetrics or gynaecology trainee, we see in our national training survey each year that some 14% report that they have experienced bullying – and that’s against an average for all trainees of 6%. You see more than double the rate of bullying in obstetrics and gynaecology than you do elsewhere.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 20 January 2021 -
Content ArticleHeavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) affects one in four women of reproductive age. It is a condition that impairs the quality of life of many women who are otherwise healthy. Every year in England and Wales, an estimated 50000 women with HMB are referred to secondary care in the NHS. This constitutes approximately 20% of referrals to specialist gynaecology services, and approximately 28000 women undergo surgical treatment. In the majority of women, the cause of their HMB is not known. Medical treatments for HMB include (oral) medication and the levonorgestrel -releasing intrauterine system(LNG-IUS). Surgical treatment, including endometrial ablation (EA) and hysterectomy, is an option if medical treatment is ineffective or undesirable. In this paper, Geary et al. investigate the factors that determine whether women who have been referred to secondary care for HMB get surgical treatment. The study explores the impact that symptom severity, treatment received in primary care and patient characteristics including age, ethnicity and socioeconomic deprivation have on the chance that women receive surgical treatment in the first year after their referral to secondary care.
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Content ArticleGeneral anaesthesia for obstetric surgery has distinct characteristics that may contribute towards a higher risk of accidental awareness during general anaesthesia. The primary aim of this study from Odor et al. was to investigate the incidence, experience and psychological implications of unintended conscious awareness during general anaesthesia in obstetric patients. Researchers discovered that one in 256 women going through pregnancy-related surgery are aware of what was going on — a far higher proportion than the one in every 19,000 identified in a previous national audit. If a patient is conscious at some point while under general anaesthetic, they may be able to recall events from the surgery such as pain or the sensation of being trapped, the researchers said.
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Content ArticleA network of endometriosis experts from 16 Italian academic departments and teaching hospitals distributed all over the country made a critical appraisal of the available evidence and definition of 10 suggestions regarding measures to be de-implemented. Strong suggestions were made only when high-quality evidence was available. The aim was to select 10 low-value medical interventions, characterized by an unfavorable balance between potential benefits, potential harms, and costs, which should be discouraged in women with endometriosis.
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