HEALTHCARE HYGIENE
Maintaining healthcare hygiene
With industrial action continuing in the NHS, Paul Mulready, Marketing Manager of Northwood Hygiene Products, examines why washrooms in hospital and healthcare settings need to be up to scratch.
New figures have shown that the longest strike in NHS history – during which doctors walked out for six days – led to more than 113,000 patient operations and appointments being postponed.
The cumulative effect of the strikes has hit the NHS hard, and the impact is compounded by an increase in winter viruses and germs. Managers must do all they can to maintain hygienic hospital and
healthcare settings to keep people safe, and the washroom has a key role to play.
Reducing infection
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) estimates that 300,000 patients a year contract a Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) as a result of care in the NHS. These infections are believed to cost the NHS approximately £1bn a year, so it’s vital for everyone to be able to wash their hands to slow transmission.
With washrooms busy in winter season, managers need to control the use of disposable products like soap and towels, which are likely to deplete quickly. Keeping dispensers well stocked is essential, so managers should look for controlled-use dispensers that restrict the use of consumables. This helps to reduce costs, control waste and is more environmentally sustainable.
High-capacity washroom solutions, such as North Shore and Raphael from Northwood, curb overconsumption and help to overcome the problem of run-outs between maintenance visits, which are frustrating for visitors and heap pressure onto maintenance staff.
Paper towels are a hygienic choice for healthcare settings – they dry hands faster and more thoroughly than air dryers, helping to speed up washroom visits. Similarly, toilet roll runs out quickly in washrooms, so managers should specify high-capacity systems that are quick to replenish.
Our Raphael proprietary washroom system is popular in the health sector because it provides superior hygiene and cost in use, whilst offering strong environmental benefits. Our tissue and soap products are made in the UK to cut down on transport and our toilet tissue dispensers use an innovative Infinity paper system, allowing users to replenish one roll at a time, ensuring full roll usage for the end user and minimising waste.
Picking the right partner
The specification of hygiene products is important, but the supplier behind them is also fundamental. Do they have a reliable supply chain to guarantee products when the NHS is under pressure? Do they offer a breadth of products designed for healthcare, from paper towels and hygiene rolls to soap and sanitiser?
Are suppliers committed to sustainability, with FSC certified products and dispenser solutions that are designed to minimise waste? Do they manufacture in the UK or import from overseas, with high carbon footprint products having to travel thousands of miles to reach the end user?
At Northwood, we’re helping healthcare providers to promote effective hygiene practices and make a contribution to the environment with sustainable solutions.
Committed to supplying products that are fit for use in demanding healthcare settings, we are a fully vertically integrated UK manufacturer. This means that our raw materials and finished products have to travel fewer miles, which is better for the environment. We also have control of the full supply chain – from waste paper collection, recycling, manufacturing and delivery – resulting in a smaller carbon footprint.
These are just some of the ways that we’re helping to support the hospital and healthcare sector, whilst also delivering better value with less impact on the environment.
With the right supplier and the best combination of products, managers can ensure that washrooms are as safe and infection-free as possible for patients and staff during the winter months.
www.northwood.co.uk
30 | TOMORROW'S CLEANING
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