HEALTHCARE HYGIENE
The wait goes on
A new study has revealed that public satisfaction with A&E waiting times are at an all- time low, and long waits in the emergency room inevitably put pressure on washrooms where there’s a clear cross-contamination risk. Liam Mynes from Tork manufacturer Essity looks at ways of making our A&E washrooms safer.
A new poll published in April revealed that just 12% of people in England and Wales are satisfied with current A&E waiting times. Despite repeated government pledges to tackle the problem, there are still more than half a million people each year forced to wait 12 hours or more to be seen.
In fact, the British Social Attitudes survey of 3,000 people reveals that 59% of us are unhappy with our health service in general – the highest level since the study was first published in 1983. It is the Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments that come in for the bulk of our complaints.
Most of us are able to cope with a short wait in A&E. We can sit quietly, flicking through a magazine or checking our phones while waiting for our name to be called by the triage team, but the situation changes dramatically when a much longer wait is required.
People will inevitably start to become restless. Perhaps they will pace the floor, pay multiple visits to the café or seek periodic updates from the reception staff concerning their own position in the queue. Some will also use the vending machines to buy snacks and drinks.
However, herding together large numbers of people who are either ill or injured poses obvious risks, particularly when those same people feel unable to sit still. Their restlessness means they will be coming into frequent contact with fellow patients and staff while also touching multiple surfaces such as vending machine push buttons, seats and door panels.
46 | TOMORROW'S CLEANING
Patients will also inevitably need to visit the washroom more than once during a 12-hour wait. So, every care must be taken to ensure that the washrooms are as safe and as hygienic to use as possible.
Automatic taps and flush systems will help to limit the cross-contamination risk, and all dispensers should be designed to ensure that each visitor only comes into contact with the sheet of paper or shot of soap they use.
Supplies of toilet tissue, soaps and hand towels are likely to dwindle fast in A&E washrooms – particularly where patients are suffering from stomach bugs or using paper to staunch their wounds. Hospital managers therefore need to ensure that the washroom dispensers are kept well stocked at all times to encourage good hand hygiene.
High-capacity systems that naturally reduce consumption will prevent the issue of run-outs between maintenance checks. A long-lasting soap system such as the Tork Soap Dispenser works well because it serves up to 1,650 visitors between refills to ensure a long-lasting supply. The sealed cartridge can also be replaced in seconds by the cleaner for ease of maintenance. Besides ensuring a continuous supply of soap, the system requires a low push force which makes it particularly easy to use, even for frail and elderly patients and for those with low hand strength.
Paper towels are usually provided in healthcare washrooms because they are a hygienic option that will also dry the
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