Simple glove change could save the NHS £45 million over five years and improve caesarean safety
Gothenburg, Sweden. 27 April 2026. A new study[1] published in The Journal of Hospital Infection shows that introducing a simple glove change during caesarean birth could deliver millions in cost savings for the National Health Service (NHS) in England.Clinical evidence shows that changing surgical gloves after placental delivery and before final abdominal closure can reduce surgical site infection (SSI) risk by 59%.[2] A research team, led by Benedict Stanberry, Principal at the Institute of Healthcare Leadership and Management in Oxford, analysed this data, alongside cost data from NHS