INFECTION CONTROL


been needed to run at full capacity, but the initial and urgent demand for COVID- dedicated field hospitals was answered by industries coming together. Through our part in supplying clinical taps to Nightingale facilities across the country, we saw, first hand, the phenomenal effort and teamwork that went into planning and creating spaces for care delivery in a safe environment. For us, it was vital to ensure that HTM 04-01-compliant products were installed, so that the NHS could maintain healthcare standards in former commercial environments.


Adapting existing estates Existing healthcare facilities have also had to adapt their buildings’ fabric in direct response to the initial surge of COVID-19 cases. Services changed, and estates had to reconfigure space used to best meet increased demands for controlling transmission of such a highly contagious virus. Infection-causing pathogens such as coronavirus can survive on exterior surfaces for some time, so the value of minimising surface contact where possible has been central to the response. Healthcare estates and their


maintenance needed adapting to ensure that staff and patients were protected by minimising opportunities for transmission. For Rada, this meant ensuring that handwashing facilities were rapidly equipped with taps able to meet the exacting demands of healthcare environments.


Promoting the value of handwashing The value of hand hygiene and cleanliness in the healthcare environment is well established, particularly when it comes to tackling healthcare associated infections (HCAIs). The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care, while introduced over 10 years ago, established the widely accepted guidance for the importance of proper handwashing in preventing infection.


The initial response to COVID-19, even in the public sphere, has re-emphasised that importance, but it has also seen more thoughtful consideration of the way we wash our hands and interact with our environments to minimise the spread of infection.


However, increased use of handwashing facilities can result in greater risk of cross-infection. The WHO has highlighted the value of non-touch-


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As evidenced by the government’s ‘Happy birthday’ campaign, the length of time someone washes their hands for is critical. Water temperatures are also important.


controlled taps in preventing cross- infection as recently as April this year, in its interim guidance, Water, Hygiene, Sanitation and Waste Management for the Covid-19 Virus.


The elbow-operated taps we supplied to the Nightingale hospitals are already well established for use in clinical settings to support infection control. What we’ve also seen, however, is non-touch sensor taps increasingly valued for their ability to promote hygiene and cleanliness across the wider estate.


Taking the right action, collectively and individually, to help protect our NHS, is at the core of government messaging around responding to COVID-19, and effective hand hygiene has been there right from the beginning. Even in healthcare facilities, however, the difficulty in monitoring and measuring it is acknowledged by providers, so there is always a need to encourage best practice at every opportunity.


Government ‘Happy birthday’ campaign


As evidenced by the Government’s ‘Happy birthday’ campaign, the length of time someone washes their hands for is critical. Water temperatures are also important. Water that is too cold or too hot will play a part in how long someone will wash their hands for.


The benefits of digital taps come into play here. Digital non-touch taps offer gesture control, so water temperatures can be easily adjusted without the need to touch the tap itself, again reinforcing


Taking the right action, collectively and individually, to help protect our NHS is at the core of government messaging around COVID-19, and effective hand hygiene has been there right from the beginning


efforts to minimise transmission via surface contact.


The levels of precision and control that digital technology unlocks includes flexible run-time settings and temperatures. While precise control over temperature settings is vital for infection control regimes, it can also promote best practice by ensuring a great user experience with comfortable temperatures. Water flow can be programmed to support hand hygiene protocols for nurses, doctors, and surgeons, according to the application setting. This control over how long the tap will stay on for can also help promote public handwashing guidance. Times can be set to reflect Public Health England guidance around the best method, for instance.


Handwashing stations at entrance points


We’ve worked with many facilities that have chosen to install new, dedicated handwashing stations at entrance points and in visitor spaces. Reconfiguring healthcare environments to encourage behaviours that promote effective hand hygiene and infection prevention has been a standout feature of the response – and handwashing is just one example. Broader conversations are already being had around doors, windows, light switches, and other controls that could harbour pathogens, and therefore benefit from touchless operation.


It’s clear that whether through water controls and handwashing facilities, or other design considerations, creating an environment that encourages the right behaviours is key to infection control.


Preventing the spread tomorrow As we’re already seeing, the drastic changes initially made to societal structure – such as social distancing, local lockdowns, and travel restrictions – don’t


August 2020 Health Estate Journal 59


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