INFECTION CONTROL
4) Evidence from ventilation science, airborne infection modelling, and outbreak investigations consistently demonstrates: n Airborne pathogen concentration increases in shared indoor air.
n Higher clean air delivery rates reduce infection probability.
n Airflow disruption and density amplify risk.
5) When care moves into corridors, ventilation and air cleaning strategies must move with it.
6) Addressing airborne infection risk in non-clinical spaces is not merely best practice – it is increasingly a regulatory expectation.
References 1 Care Quality Commission. New guidance for inspectors on care in non-clinical spaces [Internet]. London: CQC; 2024 [cited 2026 Feb 25]. Available from:
https://www.cqc.org.uk/ news/new-guidance-inspectors-care-non-clinical-spaces
Infection prevention must extend to any space used for patient care.
The strength of the UVC in the zone is relatively low,
typically 30–50 µW/cm². The dose delivered is a combination of UVC intensity and time. In these types of devices, airborne pathogens, due to thermal buoyancy effects, remain in the UVC zone for a relatively long period of time, typically >30 s. This results in a typical reduction in the airborne bio-burden of > 60 per cent. Again, additive effects are achieved through the buoyant air movements. These types of devices are particularly useful in corridor applications. During installation, the level of UVC radiation in the occupied zone beneath the UVC field must be measured using a calibrated UVC meter. The safe UVC LEL is 60 J/m². This equates to a UVC power level of 0.2 µW/cm² .
Barry Paterson
Barry Paterson Bsc (hons) C Eng. MIMechE MASHREA is a Chartered Engineer and founder of Germicidal UV Ltd (GUV), a UK-based manufacturer of UVC air cleaning equipment. He has played a leading role in establishing UK manufacturing of in-house UVC designs developed in accordance with ASHRAE and IEC standards. Hundreds of his UVC units are installed across NHS healthcare settings. Barry contributed to NHS guidance on the application of ultraviolet devices for air cleaning in occupied healthcare spaces. His work focuses on the engineering application of UVC and ventilation strategies to reduce airborne infection risk in healthcare environments.
Responsible installers should check this UVC level is not exceeded when measured at a height of 1.8 m above floor level. Their low power consumption results in low running
costs, typically around 50p per day, combined with a very low carbon footprint.
Regulatory expectation and risk mitigation The CQC expects providers to: n Assess environmental risk. n Mitigate patient safety concerns. n Avoid normalising corridor care.
Infection prevention must therefore extend to any space used for patient care, even if originally designed for circulation rather than treatment. When corridor care occurs, trusts should be able to demonstrate: n Ventilation assessment. n Occupancy management. n Environmental risk mitigation. n Proportionate infection control measures.
Conclusions 1) UVC is a well-established option for reducing airborne infection risks. It is easily installed into existing healthcare settings and provides immediate results.
2) Preventing just one case of HAI can save the NHS significantly more than the cost of a single UVC air cleaner and its operational costs over five years. This does not account for the additional knock-on effects of patient segregation, cancelled procedures, increased waiting lists, and staff absenteeism.
3) Corridor care is fundamentally a capacity challenge. Airborne infection risk within corridor care is an environmental systems challenge.
62 Health Estate Journal September 2026
2 Wells WF. Airborne contagion and air hygiene. Cambridge (MA): Harvard University Press; 1955. Available from: https://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells-Riley_model
3 World Health Organization. Roadmap to improve and ensure good indoor ventilation in the context of COVID-19 [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2021 [cited 2026 Feb 25]. Available from:
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240021280
4 World Health Organization. Global technical consultation report on proposed terminology for pathogens that transmit through the air [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2024 [cited 2026 Feb 25]. Available from:
https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/ default-source/documents/emergencies/global-technical- consultation-report-on-proposed-terminology-for-pathogens- that-transmit-through-the-air.pdf
5 Tang JW, Nicolle AD, Pantelic J, Koh GCK, de Wang L, Amin M, et al. Door-opening motion can potentially lead to a transient breakdown in negative-pressure isolation conditions. Build Environ. 2013;59:463–471. Available from: https://pmc.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7114940
6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Measles infection control in healthcare settings [Internet]. Atlanta: CDC; [cited 2026 Feb 25]. Available from:
https://www.cdc.gov/ infection-control/hcp/measles/
index.html
7 Luongo JC, Fennelly KP, Keen JA, Zhai ZJ, Jones BW, Miller SL. Role of mechanical ventilation in the airborne transmission of infectious agents in buildings. Indoor Air. 2016;26(5):666– 678. Available from:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/26562748
8 Bonifait L, Charlebois R, Vimont A, Turgeon N, Veillette M, Longtin Y, et al. Detection and quantification of airborne norovirus during outbreaks in healthcare facilities. Clin Infect Dis. 2015;61(3):299–304. Available from: https://pubmed.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25900175
9 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for environmental infection control in healthcare facilities [Internet]. Atlanta: CDC; [cited 2026 Feb 25]. Available from: https://
www.cdc.gov/infection-control/media/pdfs/guideline- environmental-h.pdf
10 NHS England. Health Technical Memorandum 03-01: Specialised ventilation for healthcare premises – Part A [Internet]. London: NHS England; 2021 [cited 2026 Feb 25]. Available from:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2021/05/HTM0301-PartA-accessible-F6.pdf
11 HM Government. The Building Regulations 2010: Approved Document F – Ventilation. London: The Stationery Office; 2021.
12 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) [Internet]. Atlanta: CDC; [cited 2026 Feb 25]. Available from:
https://www.cdc. gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/ventilation/uvgi. html
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