The NHS England National Patient Safety Team has published a case study about a successful programme to improve tracheostomy care during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The AHSN Network worked with the NHS England National Patient Safety on the programme, which was launched in anticipation of an increase in patients requiring a temporary tracheostomy.
This was due to the surge in patients placed on ICU ventilation at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tracheostomy is a procedure to provide an artificial airway to assist breathing.
A small surgical opening is made through the front of the neck into the windpipe and a curved plastic tube, known as a tracheostomy tube, is placed through the hole allowing air to flow in and out of the windpipe.
According to NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Greater Manchester, the programme resulted in a notional saving of £346.5 million.
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