Health Secretary Alan Johnson has praised NHS staff for going beyond the Government’s target of halving MRSA bloodstream infections across England, simultaneously launching an initiative whereby “infection-beating” products will be trialled by seven English “showcase hospital” Trusts.
The Government says it will now work with the NHS to sustain the reduction, and deliver a 30% reduction in C. difficile in the next three years.
Alan Johnson said: “Our strategy for tackling infection is clearly delivering results. We are now stepping up a level and looking increasingly towards technology and design to help fight infection, which is why I am delighted to launch the ‘Showcase Hospital’ scheme.”
The first tranche of infection-beating technologies being reviewed by the seven “showcase” hospital Trusts (Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, Central Manchester Children’s University Hospitals NHS Trust, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust, The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, and Southampton University Hospitals) are:
- A Bioquell hydrogen peroxide vapour system for decontaminating enclosed rooms, wards and equipment.
- 3M’s CleanTrace hygiene monitoring system – an ATP bioluminescence testing system that detects “in seconds” whether surfaces and equipment are sufficiently clean.
- Bardex I.C.’s. – Bard – a silver alloy and hydrogen-coated Foley catheter, designed to reduce urinary tract infections.
- Enturia’s ChloraPrep – a sterile, single patient use applicator to disinfect skin prior to invasive procedures.
- ConvaTec’sFlexi-Seal faecal management system – a closed system designed to contain infectious diarrhoea.
- Hollister’s Zassi bowel management system, which diverts and contains potentially infectious stool in a drainable or closed system and allows delivery of rectally administered medication.
NHS PASA is also launching, with the Design Council, the “Design Bugs Out” project, under which top designers are being challenged to create 10 new designs for furniture, equipment and services for hospital wards that have historically proved hard to clean.
