Infection control
Controlling infection and supporting facilities
Chris Whieldon, sales director for Teal Patents Ltd, discusses how the use of portable sinks has helped the NHS to control infection outbreaks and support facilities maintenance, an approach that could also offer benefits in residential care homes
We are now coming to the end of what is widely recognised as peak season for illnesses such as influenza and the increasingly prevalent norovirus, the impact of which can be severe, particularly in elderly people.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in five cases of acute gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach or intestines) that leads to diarrhoea and vomiting is caused by norovirus. It results in 685 million cases of acute gastroenteritis annually, making it the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide.1
In the UK, hospital ward and school closures have become a regular response and figures from Public Health England in 2019 showed an increase in cases of 28 per cent year on year.2 Nick Phin, national infection service deputy director at Public Health England, said: “Cases of norovirus are at higher levels thanwe would expect to see at this time of year, although this is not unprecedented. Practising good hygiene is one of the best ways to protect against norovirus. This includes thorough hand washing with soap and warm water after using the toilet and before eating or preparing food.”
One of the most common stomach bugs in the UK, norovirus is also known as the ‘winter vomiting bug’ because it is more common in winter, although it can be contracted at any time of the year.
Infections rarely require medical treatment and most people recover within a few days. However, it is highly contagious and is easily passed on, particularly to elderly people and those with pre-existing medical conditions.2 The message has and always will be that hand hygiene is the most important measure that can be taken against the spread of infection and regular hand washing with soap and water is the most effective method of preventing it. The NHS offers specific advice on avoiding the spread of norovirus, focusing on dealing with the infection and summarising that the hand washing solution is important, but also warning against relying on alcohol hand gels,
Practising good hygiene is one of thebest ways to protect against norovirus. This includes thorough hand washing with soap and warm waterafter usingthe toilet and before eating or preparing food
34 which do not kill the virus.3
Clearly it is a huge annual challenge for the NHS, not only keeping wards open, but making sure that infection outbreaks do not occur in the first place. Some hospitals have recognised this need by adding to their existing hand washing facilities during periods of high occurrence. The tactical use of portable sinks is a simple and easy solution to ensuring hand washing is undertaken by staff and visitors.
Mobile sink units can be placed where needed, totally independent of any plumbing that exists in the building or room. They are supplied with their own water containers and separate waste containers that are housed inside the unit. They can be plugged in to a normal 13-amp socket and produce a carefully controlled 10-second flow of warm water, the perfect amount for a high quality hand wash without any wastage. Built-in water heaters use less than 20 per cent of the energy needed for any other type of system with the water being heated to a comfortable temperature. No heat is wasted by having to mix hot and cold water and there is no heat loss
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com • March 2020
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