The Getting It right First Time (GIRFT) programme in urology; rationale and methodology.

The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme is a quality improvement initiative covering the National Health Service in England. The programme aims to standardise clinical practices and improve patient and system level outcomes by utilising data-driven insights and clinically-led recommendations. There are GIRFT workstreams for every medical and surgical specialty, including urology. Defining features of the GIRFT methodology are that it is clinically led by experienced clinicians, data-driven, and specialty specific. Each specialty workstream conducts deep-dive visits to every hospital, analysing performance data and engaging with clinicians and management to identify and share improvement priorities. For urology, GIRFT has completed deep-dive visits and published reports outlining priority areas for development. Reports include recommendations pertaining to streamlining care pathways, reducing the acuity of care environments, enhancing emergency services, optimising utilisation of outpatient services, and workforce training and utilisation. The GIRFT academy provides guides for implementing best practices specific to priority areas of care. These include important disease pathways, and GIRFT-advocated innovations such as urology investigation units and urology area networks. GIRFT offers clinical transformation, cost reduction, equity in access to care, and leaner models of care that are often more environmentally sustainable. Evaluation efforts of the programme have focussed on assessing the adoption of GIRFT recommendations, understanding barriers to change, and modelling the climate impact of advocated practices.

Carbon footprint of hospital laundry: a life-cycle assessment.

OBJECTIVES: To assess greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from a regional hospital laundry unit, and model ways in which these can be reduced. DESIGN: A cradle to grave process-based attributional life-cycle assessment. SETTING: A large hospital laundry unit supplying hospitals in Southwest England. POPULATION: All laundry processed through the unit in 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: The mean carbon footprint of processing one laundry item, expressed as in terms of the global warming potential over 100 years, as carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e). RESULTS: Average annual laundry unit GHG emissions were 2947 t CO2e. Average GHG emissions were 0.225 kg CO2e per item-use and 0.5080 kg CO2e/kg of laundry. Natural gas use contributed 75.7% of on-site GHG emissions. Boiler electrification using national grid electricity for 2020-2022 would have increased GHG emissions by 9.1%, however by 2030 this would reduce annual emissions by 31.9% based on the national grid decarbonisation trend. Per-item transport-related GHG emissions reduce substantially when heavy goods vehicles are filled at ≥50% payload capacity. Single-use laundry item alternatives cause significantly higher per-use GHG emissions, even if reusable laundry were transported long distances and incinerated at the end of its lifetime. CONCLUSIONS: The laundry unit has a large carbon footprint, however the per-item GHG emissions are modest and significantly lower than using single-use alternatives. Future electrification of boilers and optimal delivery vehicle loading can reduce the GHG emissions per laundry item.

Trends in day-case bladder outflow obstruction surgery: a study using Hospital Episode Statistics.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the contemporary evolution of day-case bladder outflow obstruction (BOO) surgery in England and to profile day-case BOO surgery practices across England in terms of the types of operation performed and their safety profiles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective observational analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics and UK Office for National Statistics data. All 111 043 recorded operations across 117 hospital trusts over 66 months, from 1 January 2017 to 30 June 2022, were obtained. Operations were identified as one of: transurethral resection of prostate (TURP); laser ablation or enucleation; vapour therapy; prostatic urethral lift (PUL); or bladder neck incision. Monthly day-case rate trends were plotted across the study period. Descriptive data, day-case rates and 30-day hospital readmissions were analysed for each operation type. Multilevel regression modelling with mixed effects was performed to determine whether day-case surgery was associated with higher 30-day hospital readmissions. RESULTS: Day-case patients were younger, with fewer comorbidities. Time series analysis showed a linear day-case rate increase from 8.3% (January 2017) to 21.0% (June 2022). Day-case rates improved for 92/117 trusts in 2021/2022 compared with 2017. Three of the six trusts with the highest day-case rates performed predominantly day-case TURP, and the other three laser surgery. Nationally, PUL and vapour surgery had the highest day-case rates (80.9% and 38.1%). Most inpatient operations were TURP. Multilevel regression modelling found reduced odds of 30-day readmission after day-case BOO surgery (all operations pooled), no difference for day-case vs inpatient TURP, and reduced odds following day-case LASER operations. CONCLUSIONS: The day-case rates for BOO surgery have linearly increased. Minimally invasive surgical technologies are commonly performed as day cases, whereas high day-case rates for TURP and for laser ablation operations are seen in a minority of hospitals. Day-case pathways to treat BOO can be safely developed irrespective of operative modality.

Potential Carbon Savings with Day-case Compared to Inpatient Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumour Surgery in England: A Retrospective Observational Study Using Administrative Data.

Background: The National Health Service (NHS) in England has set a net-zero target for carbon emissions by 2040. Increasing use of day-case surgery pathways may help in meeting this target. Objective: To investigate the estimated difference in carbon footprint between day-case and inpatient transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) surgery in England. Design setting and participants: This was a retrospective analysis of administrative data extracted from the Hospital Episode Statistics database for all TURBT procedures conducted in England from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2022. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Day-case and inpatient TURBT procedures were identified and the carbon footprint for key elements of the surgical pathway was estimated using data from Greener NHS and the Sustainable Healthcare Coalition. Results and limitations: Of 209 269 TURBT procedures identified, 41 583 (20%) were classified as day-case surgery. The day-case rate increased from 13% in 2013-2014 to 31% in 2021-2022. The move from inpatient stays to day-case surgery between 2013-2014 and 2021-2022 demonstrates a trend toward a lower-carbon pathway, with an estimated saving of 2.9 million kg CO2 equivalents (equivalent to powering 2716 homes for 1 yr) in comparison to no change in practice. We calculated that potential carbon savings for the financial year 2021-2022 would be 217 599 kg CO2 equivalents (equivalent to powering 198 homes for 1 yr) if all hospitals in England not already in the upper quartile were able to achieve the current upper-quartile day-case rate. Our study is limited in that estimates are based on carbon factors for generic surgical pathways. Conclusions: Our study highlights potential NHS carbon savings that could be achieved by moving from inpatient stays to day-case surgery. Reducing variation in care across the NHS and encouraging all hospitals to adopt day-case surgeries, where clinically appropriate, would lead to further carbon savings. Patient summary: In this study we estimated the potential for carbon savings if patient undergoing bladder tumour surgery were admitted and discharged on the same day. We estimate that increasing use of day-case surgery between 2013-2014 and 2021-2022 has saved 2.9 million kg CO2 equivalents. If all hospitals were to achieve day case-rates comparable to those in the highest quarter of hospitals in England in 2021-2022, then the carbon equivalent to powering 198 homes for 1 year could have been saved.

Rates of self-reported 'burnout' and causative factors amongst urologists in Ireland and the UK: a comparative cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of 'burnout' among UK and Irish urological consultants and non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs). The second objective was to identify possible causative factors and to investigate the impact of various vocational stressors that urologists face in their day-to-day work and to establish whether these correlate with burnout. The third objective was to develop a new questionnaire to complement the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), more specific to urologists as distinct from other surgical/medical specialties, and to use this in addition to the MBI to determine if there is a requirement to develop effective preventative measures for stress in the work place, and develop targeted remedial measures when individuals are affected by burnout. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A joint collaboration was carried out between the Irish Society of Urology (ISU) and the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS). Anonymous voluntary questionnaires were sent to all current registered members of both governing bodies. The questionnaire comprised two parts: the first part encompassed sociodemographic data collection and identifying potential risk factors for burnout, and the second used the MBI to objectively assess for workplace burnout. To evaluate differences in burnout, 2 × 2 contingency tables and Fischer's exact probability tests were used. RESULTS: In all, 575 urologists responded to the online survey out of a total of 1380 invites, yielding a 42% response rate. All respondents were aged <75 years (median age 45 years), with men representing 87.5% of respondents. In all, 75% of respondents worked in England, followed by the Republic of Ireland (9%), Scotland (8%), Northern Ireland (4%), and Wales (3%). In all, 79% of respondents were consultants, with 13% representing training posts, and 40% of respondents held a professorship/clinical lead position. Respondents' countries of origin included England, Scotland, Ireland, India, Wales, Malaysia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Overall, the mean emotion exhaustion (EE) score was 23.5, representing a moderate level of EE. The mean depersonalisation (DP) score was 8.2, representing a moderate level of DP. The mean personal achievement (PA) score was 17.1, representing high levels of PA. In all, 86 respondents (15%) reported self-medication with non-prescription drugs or alcohol to combat signs and symptoms of burnout, while 46 (8%) sought professional help for symptoms of burnout. In all, 460 respondents (80%) felt that burnout should be evaluated amongst members of the ISU/BAUS, and 345 (60%) would avail of counselling if provided. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to address the issue of burnout across two separate health systems in the UK and Ireland. This study has shown previously undescribed high levels of burnout characterised by EE and DP, with associated significant levels of self-medication amongst a male-predominant cohort. Burnout was attributed to non-surgical administrative/institutional factors, with most respondents reporting support for staff evaluation and the provision of counselling services. This pilot study lends itself to the creation of risk stratification for urologists, and an opportunity to provide educational resources, training/development programmes, and collegial and administrative support pathways.

Complications arising in the final year of life in men dying from advanced prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES: There are sparse anecdotal data on complications occurring in the final year of life in men dying of prostate cancer. The study aim was to record such data together with the interventions necessary and subsequent outcomes. METHODS: Using an established prostate cancer database detailing all men presenting to a single institute with the disease, case notes and the hospital electronic databases were examined from men diagnosed with hormone refractory prostate cancer that went on to die of their disease between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2002 (n=226). The frequency of complications and subsequent therapeutic interventions within the final 12 months of life were recorded together with the effect of those interventions. RESULTS: The most common incident complications arose in the lower urinary tract. Overall, 27% (61 men) had lower urinary tract complications (LUTS), 12% (n=27) had progressive renal failure, 10% (n=23) became anemic, and 9% (n=21) had persistent bone pain despite analgesia. Fourteen percent (n=37) had skeletal-related complications (including bone pain, fractures, and cord compression). One hundred four men (46%) had a cancer-related complication with 25% (n=56) requiring related intervention(s). An improvement was observed in over three quarters of men (76%) who received an intervention. These included "channel" transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) (14% of men; n=32), long-term urethral or suprapubic catheterization (7.5%; n=17), blood transfusion (7.5%; n=17), external beam radiation for pain (4.9%; n=11), nephrostomy tube or ureteric stent insertion (2.7%; n=6), and fracture fixation (2.2%; n=5). CONCLUSIONS: The commonest adverse events in the final year of life in men dying of advanced prostate cancer are those of LUTS, renal failure, anemia, and bone pain with almost half of men developing at least one of these. The majority of men who had interventions demonstrated a subjective or objective improvement.

The increased rate of prostate specific antigen testing has not affected prostate cancer presentation in an inner city population in the UK.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the increased use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing over the last 15 years has changed the way prostate cancer presents in an inner city UK population, where PSA screening rates might be expected to be lower than in epidemiological studies based in North America, where there is a significant tendency to a localized stage and earlier age at diagnosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study comprised a 5-year retrospective and 5-year prospective analysis of data on 704 men diagnosed with prostate cancer over the 10-year period since the introduction of PSA testing (1994-2003). RESULTS: The median (range) age at presentation remained unchanged, at 72 (45-94) years; the PSA level at diagnosis was 20-46 microg/L, with a steady decline after 1997. There was no significant change in stage at diagnosis; overall, 38 (20-44)% presented with clinically localized disease, 37 (31-48)% with locally advanced and 25 (18-29)% with metastatic disease. The Gleason grade changed significantly, with more moderately differentiated tumours and a decline in well-differentiated cancers. Closer examination showed this to have been due to a change in diagnostic practice rather than a true population trend. PSA testing increased over the 10 years of the study (2.35 times), with requests from general practitioners rising seven times, compared with urologists or other hospital doctors (1.25 and 2.3 times, respectively). Community PSA testing remained lower than in other reported UK series, which may be explained in part by the lower socio-economic status of the population assessed. CONCLUSION: There was no apparent change in patient age or tumour stage in men presenting with prostate cancer over a 10-year period after the introduction of PSA testing. While there was an increase in PSA testing during the study period, the testing rate remains much lower than in other reported series from the UK.

The record of in-training assessments (RITAs) in urology: an evaluation of trainee perceptions.

AIMS: To evaluate the effect of the Calman reforms on SpRs in urology with respect to their educational goals, their experience of the RITA process and its value in preparing them for their chosen consultant careers. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: All urological trainees holding national training numbers who had completed at least one RITA review, but had not yet been awarded a CCST, were sampled. RESULTS: A total of 100 completed replies were received. Of those replying, 87% had an appointed educational supervisor with marked variation between regions. Training expectations in the four main categories of knowledge, vocational skills, operative competencies and personal development for each particular year of training were clear to only 40%, 35%, 44% and 60% of trainees, respectively. In general, trainee satisfaction with their most recent RITA review was fair with a mean of 6 (range, 4-8) on an arbitrary 10-point scale. Of the trainees, 83% felt that they would be adequately trained for consultant practice at the end of their training although this confidence varied between years of training. CONCLUSIONS: Unification in the registrar grade has initiated an improvement in urological education for SpRs. There has, however, been haphazard delivery of that education due to a lack of objectivity in definition and assessment of the educational goals in individual training years. The RITA process should be more prescriptive in its administration and the setting of annual targeted training objectives should help to optimise the training opportunities for individual SpRs.