UV-C decontamination
tried conventional measures, including flushing the drains with boiling water, but this did not provide a sustained solution. The contamination recurred, which indicated that we were dealing with an established biofilm rather than a transient surface issue.” On the longer-term outcome, she concludes:
“Since installation of the UV-C based drain solution in October 2022, no cases of Chryseobacterium spp. have been detected in patients in the department during more than three years of follow-up.”
Practical considerations for NHS implementation For NHS organisations, addressing hidden reservoirs of contamination requires close collaboration between SSDs, IPC teams and estates departments. Interventions must be practical, sustainable and capable of integration into existing workflows without increasing workload for frontline staff. Targeted technologies addressing water
systems may offer advantages by reducing reliance on repeated chemical or manual interventions, supporting both infection prevention and operational efficiency. Importantly, such approaches should be considered as part of a broader, risk-based strategy rather than as standalone solutions.
Conclusion – towards a broader decontamination strategy As healthcare environments become increasingly complex, infection prevention strategies must evolve accordingly. While surface decontamination and endoscope reprocessing remain essential, growing evidence highlights the importance of addressing hidden environmental reservoirs that contribute to persistent contamination risks.
Expanding the scope of UV-C beyond episodic surface disinfection to include targeted interventions within concealed infrastructure offers a promising
complementary approach. By addressing continuous sources of contamination, healthcare organisations may strengthen infection prevention
About the author
Jørn Terkelsen is the Founder and CEO of Dolphin Care. Over the past decade, he has worked in close collaboration with clinical microbiologists and infection prevention specialists at Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet) and other healthcare institutions to develop UV-C based technologies addressing environmental reservoirs of contamination in clinical settings. His work has focused on translating clinical microbiology insights into practical engineering solutions for infection prevention.
efforts, improve efficiency and support wider sustainability objectives without compromising patient safety.
CSJ
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