George Eliot Hospital is a single site hospital located in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, it is managed by the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust. It provides a full range of emergency and elective medical services, including maternity services, to the local area.The Hospital is one of many local buildings named after Nuneaton-born author George Eliot. Additionally, many of the hospital's surgical and medical wards are named after characters within George Eliot novels (e.g. Felix Holt, Lydgate, Caterina, Adam Bede, Dolly Winthrop). The Hospital also has a set of operating theatres on the first floor.
Never-events represent serious and preventable patient safety incidents within surgical practice, despite increasing national and international efforts to reduce them. Persistent concerns regarding wrong site surgery, retained surgical items, and incorrect implants highlight the need to understand contributory human factors and system-level weaknesses. A systematic search of PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library was conducted. Evidence published between 2014 and 2024 was screened according to predefined eligibility criteria to identify contemporary data relating to surgical never-events. Studies were assessed using standardised selection methods and relevant findings were extracted and synthesised. Thirty-seven studies met inclusion criteria. Across international literature, recurring contributory factors included communication breakdowns, reduced situational awareness, fatigue, inadequate staffing, inconsistent team composition, and increasing surgical caseloads. Despite advances in safety practices, these factors continued to contribute to adverse surgical outcomes. Never-events remain a persistent challenge in surgical care. Strengthening safety management systems, improving awareness of human factors, and prioritising non-technical skills training may help reduce the risk of these events. Ongoing evaluation of interventions and further UK-based research are required to support improvement in patient safety outcomes.
Abstract Objectives Evaluation of day-case service, auditing against GIRFT and BADS recommendations. Methodology Retrospective data collection of consecutive patients who underwent elective cholecystectomy, inguinal and paraumbilical hernia repairs over a period of 6 weeks. Audit parameters were set as:Successful day surgeryTarget: 75% for Cholecystectomy, >90% for hernias.Missed opportunities (Same-day discharges in inpatient category)Target: 0 cases.Unplanned admissions (Day-case conversion into inpatient stay)Target: GIRFT median 14% Results 118 patients were included, with ASA grades of 16%, 57%, and 27% for grades 1, 2 and 3 respectively. 67 patients had cholecystectomy. 90% were booked as day-case with success rate of 73%. 16 cases stayed >24 hours: 12 for clinical, 3 for social and 1 for organisational reasons. 3 missed opportunities were noted in inpatient category. Over 30-day follow-up, 3 patients presented to ED. (Failed 3 parameters) For inguinal hernia surgery, all 35 cases were booked as day-case, with success rate of 92%. 3 patients stayed >24 hours: 1 for clinical, 1 for social and 1 for organisational reasons. No missed opportunities were found. There was 1 readmission over a 30-day period. (Met all recommendations) 16 patients had paraumbilical hernia repair. 94% were booked as day-case and success rate was 73%. 4 cases stayed >24 hours: 1 for clinical and 3 for social reasons. No missed opportunities and no readmissions during 30-day follow-up. (Failed in 2 parameters) Recommendations Standardised day-case and procedures-specific checklists are crucial to limit unplanned admissions. Successful service requires promoting "day-case first" culture and auditing outcomes.
Respiratory diseases and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are leading causes of death in older adults, yet national trends examining their overlap remain understudied. We aim to analyze Respiratory Diseases and Parkinson’s Disease (PD)-related mortality among older adults (≥ 65) in the United States from 1999 to 2020. We conducted a retrospective analysis of national mortality data from 1999 to 2020 using the CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death database. Death certificates listing both Parkinson’s disease (ICD-10: G20) and respiratory system diseases (ICD-10: J00–J98) were included. AAMRs were calculated using the U.S. 2000 standard population. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to assess average annual percent changes (APCs) and identify statistically significant shifts in mortality trends across demographic, geographic, and racial subgroups. From 1999 to 2019, national AAMRs declined from 33.1 to 21.3 per 100,000, with a sharp increase to 28.6 in 2020. A reversal of previously declining trends was observed in nearly all subgroups beginning in 2018. Males consistently exhibited higher AAMRs than females, and White individuals had the highest rates among racial groups. Regionally, the Midwest and Northeast showed the highest mortality burdens in 2020, while states such as Nebraska and Vermont recorded the highest AAMRs. Significant heterogeneity in APCs was noted by sex, region, race, and urbanization, with a uniform increase from 2018 to 2020, most likely reflecting pandemic-related disruptions. Despite their clinical significance, respiratory and PD-related deaths remain underrepresented in population-level surveillance. This analysis highlights rising mortality trends and underscores the need for integrated public health strategies that address both respiratory and neurological health. Recognizing the overlap between these condition is essential for improving outcomes in this high-risk population.
