Fairfield Independent Hospital in St Helens, Merseyside, is one of the very few remaining independent charitable hospitals in the country, and has provided a clean, safe and welcoming environment for healthcare and treatment for over 45 years.
Further investment in medical equipment plays a key role in the hospital’s development plan, evidenced by the recent decision to bring in specialist contractor Medical Air Technology (MAT) to upgrade Theatre 2 to ultraclean with the addition of an ECO-flow™ ultraclean ventilation (UCV) system.
MAT was appointed after Fairfield Independent Hospital carried out a formal tender process and the board approved its business case, which demonstrated a clear understanding of the requirements and project drivers, supported by straightforward, concise project proposals that gave cost certainty and evidence of flexibility of installation to meet surgical demands. In addition to the theatre refit, MAT carried out hydrogen peroxide disinfection of both theatre suites and the surrounding department. The installation was completed in just 18 working days, with work being carried out over the Christmas and New Year period to ensure it was delivered on the agreed handover date.
This is not the first time MAT has worked at Fairfield Independent Hospital. In 2017-2018, MAT carried out modification of the existing sterile pack store to separate it into two prep rooms, one serving each theatre. As part of this, MAT installed one of its unique lay-up cabinets, initially loaned to the hospital for trialling. The hospital was so impressed with the lay-up cabinet that they not only purchased it but also bought a second unit for the other prep room.
"We are very happy with the work carried out by MAT. Throughout the project, we appreciated the benefits of working with a company with such a thorough understanding of surgical site infection and a portfolio of products designed to address it. We were really pleased with how quickly and easily the lay-up cabinets were installed. The new prep rooms and theatre give our clinical teams the best environment for delivering the outstanding, safe care patients have come to expect from Fairfield Independent Hospital."
Andrew Jones: Director of Hospital Services, Fairfield Independent Hospital
The MAT ECO-flow™ UCV Operating Theatre
This total turnkey project started with the strip-out of the existing theatre, before work began to install the new energy-efficient ECO-flow™ 2.8 UCV system, complete with new extract air handling unit, ventilation system, electrics, pressure stabilisers, thermal insulation, medical gases and BMS controls. The refit also included a touchscreen theatre panel, IPS/UPS and operating lights, provided by Brandon Medical, completing the upgrade of this fully HBN- and HTM-compliant theatre.
Hydrogen Peroxide Disinfection
It can be very difficult to ensure the specialist equipment and various surface areas in this key hospital area are disinfected effectively. However, the delivery system for the patented hydrogen peroxide and silver solution used in this disinfection process reaches areas where traditional cleaning methods cannot and is extremely successful at eliminating dangerous bacteria and viruses. At Fairfield Independent Hospital, MAT sprayed everything in the two theatre suites, recovery and adjoining areas, including medical equipment left in situ. The area was then fogged to ensure thorough disinfection.
The MAT Lay-Up Cabinet
The MAT lay-up cabinet was the perfect solution when Fairfield Independent Hospital wanted to turn an existing sterile pack store into two theatre prep rooms. Requiring only minimal building infrastructure and installation work, the lay-up cabinet improves infection control around surgical instrument preparation and turns a sterile pack store into an area suitable for laying-up instruments, delivering an ultraclean airflow regime over instrument trays. It can also increase theatre throughput as it eliminates the need to waste valuable theatre time by laying-up under the UCV canopy.
The lay-up cabinet is an important ally in the fight against healthcare associated infections, specifically surgical site infections, which represent a massive clinical and financial burden on the healthcare sector. It is available now for trialling and is currently being offered at a reduced price as part of MAT’s commitment to supporting hospitals’ infection prevention strategies. Easy finance options are also available. For more information, contact sales@medicalairtechnology.com or call 0844 871 2100.
