Wiring Accessories
Antimicrobial wiring accessories – helping to fight infection
Marie Parry, group marketing director, Scolmore Group, looks at some of the issues surrounding the supply of electrical products to the healthcare sector.
I
nfection control is one of the biggest challenges facing the healthcare sector. Healthcare associated infections (HCAI) are infections that occur in a healthcare setting that a patient didn't
have before they came in. These infections can develop either as a direct result of healthcare
intervention (such as medical or surgical treatment) or from being in contact with a healthcare setting. They arise across a wide range of clinical conditions and can affect people of all ages. They can exacerbate existing or underlying conditions, delay recovery and adversely affect quality of life. A number of factors can increase the risk of acquiring an infection, but high standards of infection prevention and control practice, including providing clean environments, can minimise the risk. It is estimated that 300,000 patients a year in England acquire a healthcare
associated infection as a result of care within the NHS, with respiratory infections the most common types of healthcare-associated infection. Each infection means additional use of NHS resources, greater patient discomfort and a decrease in patient safety. The question for our industry is what are the issues and requirements
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surrounding the supply and installation of electrical equipment? Anyone operating within and supplying to this sector, is required to work with products that meet the demands for hygiene and safety, and that includes electrical products. Switch plates, such as light switches, dimmers and sockets have one of the highest touch rates in any environment, so are likely to hold a significant number of microbes on their surfaces. Whilst regular and rigorous cleaning of these settings is essential, the use of products with antimicrobial properties will also have a part to play to help inhibit the spread of infection. When it comes to specification requirements within the healthcare sector,
most are taken from Health Technical Memorandum (HTM’s). These give comprehensive advice and guidance on the design, installation and operation of specialised building and engineering technology used in the delivery of healthcare. The focus of Health Technical Memorandum guidance remains on healthcare-specific elements of standards, policies and up-to- date established best practice. They are applicable to new and existing sites, and are for use at various stages during the whole building lifecycle. Healthcare-specific technical engineering guidance is a vital tool in the
Continued over May 2020 electrical wholesaler | 17
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