Marshall-Tufflex’s Odyssey Bio cable management system, with built-in antimicrobial properties, is helping to prevent infection within the refurbished neonatal unit at Birmingham Women’s Hospital, which treats more than 800 premature and sick babies every year.
Prompted by the need for modernisation, and increasing demand for specialist baby care within the region, the £7 m combined refurbishment and new-build project has culminated in a superb new neonatal centre that has increased the hospital’s capacity from 30 to 50 neonatal cots, 20 of them for intensive care.
Odyssey Bio is a fully curved profile CAT 6-compliant trunking system from cable management expert Marshall-Tufflex. Silver ion protection is added to Bio’s PVC-U formulation during manufacture, meaning that the bug-busting solution is incorporated within the trunking material. Consequently, Odyssey Bio continues to neutralise and kill dangerous bacteria such as MRSA, E-Coli and Salmonella even if the trunking is scratched or knocked.
Its antimicrobial properties are perceived as a huge benefit to the hospital, which is committed to ensuring that its staff, patients, and visitors, are protected from healthcare-associated infection. It also has a dedicated and proactive infection control team.
“This type of antimicrobial containment unit is a bonus to us,” said Warren Hubbard, head of estates. “It is essential to keep bugs at bay where critically ill babies are concerned, and therefore helping us to conquer infection can only be a win / win situation. As a Trust we have an excellent record of infection control and are proud that we have not had MRSA for seven years, or C. difficile for five years. Keeping on top of infection control is vital. Odyssey Bio supports our cleaning regimes by continually working behind the scenes in the fight against harmful bacteria.
“The unit has been well-designed, and Odyssey Bio’s curved profile contributes by providing a less institutional feel,” he added.
Refurbishment became a particularly high priority due to the large amount of high-tech equipment that the unit requires. Odyssey Bio was specified by building services consultant, Couch Perry & Wilkes, to carry power, voice, and data systems within the baby clinic, treatment rooms, and administrative areas of the outpatients’ department. It was installed by Vinci Construction UK Building Services, and supplied by Edmundson Electrical’s Saltley, Birmingham, branch.
Tony Foster, of Couch Perry & Wilkes, said: “Odyssey Bio ticked all the boxes in terms of infection control and its curved profile has aesthetic and practical advantages. However we also needed a flexible, future-proof system for as and when changes to internal layouts are required. By using Odyssey Bio we have been able to future-proof sections of trunking in readiness for any later re-configuration that might be necessary.”
Odyssey Bio has been tested to the quantitative standard ISO 22196:2007. Results show the survival rate of tested bacteria to be less than 0.1%. The product is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and compliant with the European Biocidal Products Directive (BPD). Untreated trunking systems can harbour harmful bacteria and, if touched, be a source of cross-contamination.
