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Hospital Hygiene
Stamping out superbugs
Superbugs need tough treatment, and deep cleaning is one proven method of
dealing with them. ISS Mediclean says its permanent decontamination units are
forming a backbone of UK infection control strategies
ublic awareness of so called superbugs has never been so
P
heightened. As a result, there is an increased demand for new
strategies and advanced technologies that will eliminate the
risk of hospital infection as much as possible. The Government’s Deep
Cleaning Programme put forward strategies to help hospitals reduce
the spread of MRSA and other superbugs. As part of this process, ISS
Mediclean has introduced permanent decontamination cleaning
units to UK hospitals that will continue to help hospitals implement
comprehensive deep cleaning programmes.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, London, is one of the
first hospitals in the UK to adopt a planned deep cleaning
programme that includes the use of a permanent decontamination
cleaning unit. The unit was launched at the hospital in August this
year and now plays a central role in the hospital’s deep cleaning
programme. All its mobile equipment is taken to the unit and deep
cleaned as part of a regular rolling programme.
The unit is a self contained, secure cleaning environment with a
team of fully trained, skilled healthcare cleaners. Fitted with modern
decontamination technology, including chlorine based cleaning
products, microfibre technology and dry steam cleaning machines,
the unit has the ability to clean any portable hospital equipment
including beds, furniture, wheelchairs and trolleys.
to the ward. With a planned deep clean programme a ward of beds
What’s it all about? can be cleaned with minimum disruption for patients and hospital
The process begins with the bed or piece of equipment being taken staff.
to the first section of the unit where the item is cleaned thoroughly “The static decontamination unit gives very significant benefits in
by ISS staff using a chlorine solution and microfibre cloths. Microfibre terms of speed of decontamination,” states John Mills, director of
– a synthetic material one hundred times finer than human hair with estates and facilities at the South London Healthcare NHS Trust. “A
a surface area forty times greater than conventional materials – typical four-bed ward can have all its bed space furniture cleaned
creates a positive electrical charge that attracts and holds dust which within around 90 minutes. While this takes place, other ISS personnel
is not released until laundered. can get into the bay, and thoroughly clean all the surfaces, curtains,
The item is then taken through to the second section of the unit, and carpets etc.”
which is sealed to reduce airborne bacteria and viruses, and steam
cleaned using OspreyDeepclean equipment. Lastly an ozone fogging Temp to perm
machine, reported to reduce MRSA by 100%, is used. After the full The permanent unit follows on from the success of a previous ISS
decontamination process is complete the item can then be returned Mediclean initiative; the mobile decontamination unit. Mobile units
are built into the back of dedicated vehicles and have the same
technology as the permanent unit in delivering clinical cleaning to
any healthcare facility.
“The hospital had the first ISS Mediclean mobile unit on free trial
for two weeks this January, and was highly impressed with it. As a
result this led to the development, and now the permanent location
here, of the static decontamination unit,” said Pam Keeling, mobile
healthcare cleaning manager at ISS Mediclean, speaking at the
August launch of the permanent unit at the Queen Elizabeth
Hospital.“Not only will the disruption usually experienced by patients
and hospital staff during deep cleaning programmes be greatly
reduced, but the incorporation of the static units into hospital
practices will boost public and patient confidence.”
“Initiatives such as this should help make patients feel more
confident they are entering a clinically clean environment,” added
Collette Sweeney, ISS Mediclean
42567 or cleaning-matters.co.uk/enquiry
product development manager. Tel: 0845 057 6500
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