WATER SYSTEM HYGIENE AND SAFETY
disassembled quickly and washed at high temperatures, enabling fast preventative maintenance. These taps are produced using a minimal amount of plastic, but feature high levels of brass – a naturally antimicrobial material – within the cartridge and the spout.
hej
n For more information about Armitage Shanks’ and Pall Medical’s masterclasses, visit
www.ideal-spec.co.uk
Armitage Shanks’ latest healthcare basin range, Contour 21+, has Hydrofin technology, ‘a unique profile within the basin’ which reduces splashing.
Evolving microorganism ecology Professor Martin Exner gave a view, from a German perspective, on evolving microorganism ecology, and the risks around waterborne healthcare-associated infections. He discussed key infection reservoirs, where bacteria may grow, including within the last metre of water to a tap spout or showerhead. He also showed images of older-style taps with complex components, which he said were likely to be susceptible to bacterial growth. He described waste-water systems as being ‘the gastro-intestinal tract of any hospital’, and ‘the most important reservoir of MDR and antibiotic resistance outside of the patient themselves’. Professor Exner advised that RAG (Red, Amber, Green) rating is a useful risk assessment tool, and said good communication and transparency were essential, as water usage is often and varied. He characterised waterborne pathogens as ‘obligate, facultative, and antibiotic resistant’.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Water Safety in Buildings guidelines of 20114
were cited as
recommending the establishment and continued meeting of WSGs, which he said would become ever-more important when considering aspects such as ageing and more vulnerable populations, climate change – creating increases in incoming water temperatures, and declining water reservoir levels.
Prof. Exner advised that while Legionellosis should be a preventable disease, eradication seems unrealistic, so controls should be designed to deliver contamination levels as low as reasonably possible. With regard to P. aeruginosa, WHO recommends monitoring the trend of clinical infections. The organisation has a critical list of antibiotic-resistant organisms, of which P. aeruginosa and Klebsiella spp are a priority, and notes that these organisms can be brought back from other countries in which they are endemic. The WHO has also developed guidelines for the prevention
and control of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and P. aeruginosa, in healthcare facilities.5
Many reasons for establishing a Water Safety Group
Dr. Susanne Lee summarised some of the content from the masterclass, arguing that there were ‘multiple reasons’ for developing a WSMP – i.e. a proactive strategy for managing water for all types of usage across a single organisation. She noted that contaminated water is still a major problem, which may result in human cost, unnecessary fines, poor reputation, ward closures, increased HCAIs, and other unintended consequences, such as slips and trips. She showed evidence that deaths globally from MDR are predicted to rise from 700,000 in 2014, to an estimated 10 million by 2050.
Prevention the priority
With the increased risk of antimicrobial resistance, and the rising costs of remedial measures, preventative action is the optimal route forward for healthcare teams to manage their in-premise water systems. By coming together to listen and learn from industry experts, healthcare professionals can be better informed about possible ways to approach water management in their facilities, with the aim of staying ahead of the risks. Armitage Shanks offers a range of innovation-driven healthcare solutions, designed to address infection control. For example, its latest healthcare basin range, Contour 21+, has Hydrofin technology, ‘a unique profile within the basin’ which reduces splashing by up to 90 per cent when compared with a traditional washbasin. The product also features an anti-microbial glaze which eliminates the possibility of water stagnating.
Meanwhile, the Armitage Shanks Markwik 21+ collection is a range of thermostatic tap solutions designed to be
References 1 BSI Group. BS 8580-1:2019 Water quality. Risk assessments for Legionella control. Code of practice, January 2019.
https://preview.tinyurl.com/y6ff5fol
2 Breach details - Case No. 4160269. Health and Safety Executive.
https://preview.tinyurl.com/y29pksuj
3 Health Protection Scotland. Summary of incident and findings of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde: Queen Elizabeth University Hospital/Royal Hospital for Children water contamination incident and recommendations for NHS Scotland. 22 February 2018.
4 World Health Organization. Water Safety in Buildings. March 2011. ISBN 9789241548106.
5 World Health Organization. Guidelines for the prevention and control of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in health care facilities, 2017.
Tony Rheinberg
Tony Rheinberg has been in the bathroom industry for more than 25 years, and is currently senior sector Marketing manager for Armitage Shanks. In the past few years, he has specialised in Healthcare marketing, and has been part of the team developing the leading Contour 21+ and Markwik 21+ hospital ranges.
October 2019 Health Estate Journal 131
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