Bedford Hospital abandons plastic in pursuing gold standard for infection control
Bedford Hospital NHS Trust has teamed up with private company Vernacare to reduce the risk of cross infection from the use of shared plastic washbowls.
After the success of trialling the Vernacare single-use washbowl on a selection of wards, the Trust has now introduced this innovative new pulp product throughout the hospital, allowing it to throw away its plastic washbowls.
"We use macerators at the hospital rather than washer disinfectors, so plastic washbowls had to be cleaned by hand which is not the 'gold standard' for infection control which we have been working to," explains Clinical Products Advisor at Bedford Hospital, Pauline Totten.
"The move to single-use washbowls that can hold soap and warm water is very popular with our nursing staff. The convenience of being able to dispose of the bowl after each use saves a lot of valuable nursing time on busy wards and patients are reassured because they are offered a clean new bowl each time. "
Due to the success of the single-use bowls, the Trust is now using the complete Vernacare single-use pulp range as pulp products from a previous supplier would sometimes leak and also jam the Trust's macerators.
"We are working hard to eradicate any risk of cross-infection as part of our zero-tolerance approach to infection control and it's a strategy that is paying off, adds Pauline. "Over the past 12 months the hospital has reduced the rates of C. Difficile infection by 58% and achieved a 30% reduction in cases of MRSA.
"The introduction of this new product is just one aspect of our infection control work but it has been a great success."
Bedford has also replaced its stainless steel commode chairs with new 'Vernachairs', which combine a commode, shower and sani chair.
"These come apart for total cleaning and this can easily be done each day, explains Pauline. "We also put them through our bed washer twice a week.
"The other practical benefit of the 'Vernachairs' is that we can buy replacement parts for the chairs, so if there is any damage or wear and tear, we don't have to buy an entire new chair."
Bedford is a 300-bed district general hospital. As part of its best practice in infection prevention it has introduced an infection isolation ward together with more single rooms and has also reduced numbers of beds in ward bays from six to four.
Beds are cleaned in the Trust's bed washer after each patient stay and additional domestic staff have been employed to maintain the hospital's stringent cleaning regime.
Vernacare is part of Verna Group, based in Bolton, Greater Manchester. The company is a market leader in the manufacture and supply of infection control products for the healthcare sector and is a top 30 supplier to NHS. Its products are exported to 46 countries, and the Verna Macerator is used by 85% of UK Hospitals.
Picture caption: Pauline Totten (left) with Charge Nurse Steven Waterfield, using the Vernacare single use washbowl.
For a free sample of the Vernacare washbowl, or further information:
T: 01204 555999
18th September 2008