sponsored by HEALTH SECTOR NEWS
Peel-apart packs will support theatre air quality study
Cherwell has developed a new peel-apart pack settle plate product to support a UK national study investigating the relationship between the microbiological quality of operating theatre air and infection rate. Supported by NHS England, the UK Health Security Agency, and the British Orthopaedic Association, the JOINTCASE audit aims to check the air quality of ultraclean air (UCA) in operating theatres during surgery. Cherwell says that ‘despite the well-documented relationship between microbiological air quality and deep infection rates, it is not routine to monitor operating theatres when in use’. It said: “This is because slit samplers are traditionally used to test air quality by volumetric counting, but these are labour- intensive, requiring trained individuals, and impractical for routine audits. The study management group noted settle plate counting to be a simpler methodology.” Conducted jointly by local orthopaedic and microbiology/infectious disease departments in elective orthopaedic units nationwide, the audit now uses a settle plate-based technique. For this, Cherwell specially developed packs of 10 microbiology plates, simply peelable apart aseptically for easy sterile dispensing onto surgical instrument trolleys and next to the wound. To further minimise
International experience shared
The IFHE Digest 2025 – which will be published in December – will be essential reading for those involved in the field of healthcare engineering. Last year, reports editor, Matt Seex, the annual IFHE Digest offered in- depth, agenda-setting coverage of key areas of healthcare engineering expertise, good practice, and technology, over a range of topics – from post-pandemic hospital design to optimum assessment of hospital ventilation. He explains: “The 2025 Digest will
contamination risk, during transfer for incubation after exposure, the plates can be secured with supplied sterile elastic bands. The peel-apart packs were required as settle plates are generally packed double or triple wrapped and sterilised for laboratory or cleanroom use, which is not sufficient during surgery. Study lead and orthopaedic surgeon, Andrew Thomas, of The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, explained: “Regular plate packs must be opened in a completely aseptic way using sterile scissors – an additional task for the scrub person. The logical answer was to have a peel-apart pack, which can be dispensed onto the sterile instrument trolley, just like any other piece of equipment dispensed to the scrub nurse by the circulating staff, but this wasn’t previously available.”
again consider the optimal running of international healthcare facilities from a wide range of angles. These will likely include sustainability and decarbonisation, digital transformation and technical governance, hospital design, facilities maintenance, lighting and flooring, dementia design, and the implementation of AI, to name but a few.” Although deadlines are
now tight, organisations and individuals with a relevant topic in mind that they think might interest their peers across the world are nonetheless invited to submit a 200- word synopsis to the editor of the IFHE Digest 2025 at editorial@ifhedigest. com, who will be very happy to discuss article requirements and deadlines, either for the forthcoming 2025 Digest, or for the 2026 edition.
A leading training provider for healthcare engineering and estates and facilities management.
Scheduled courses at our state-of-the-art facility Bespoke courses tailored to your needs Onsite training Lab-hire
Visit our website
01454 262777 |
sales@eastwoodpark.co.uk August 2024 Health Estate Journal 31
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72
