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An Irish hospital is thought to be the the first in the world to specify hygienic copper door handles throughout in a bid to reduce healthcare associated infections such as MRSA.

St Francis Private Hospital, a 140-bed facility located in Mullingar, County Westmeath, and its associated nursing home, St Clair’s, made the decision after examining the compelling evidence from the clinical trial at Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham, which showed that copper surfaces such as taps, toilet seats and door pushplates can reduce microbial contamination by 90-100%.

A total of 250 door handles will be replaced at St Francis Private Hospital, with the work primarily taking place in January.

The General Manager and Director of Nursing, Noeleen Sheridan, explains the landmark decision:

“All healthcare facilities are acutely aware of the risks from the spread of germs and the high costs of negating them. As it is estimated that 80% of infections are spread by touch, keeping surfaces like door handles as germ free as possible will impact on the spread of infection. Our decision to specify antimicrobial copper products is based on this conviction, and the compelling evidence from the Selly Oak clinical trial.”

Professor Tom Elliott, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust’s Deputy Medical Director and leader of the Selly Oak copper clinical trial, believes copper could play a key role in helping to contain healthcare associated infections.

“Laboratory research has shown that MRSA and Clostridium difficile microbes die much more quickly when they come into contact with copper-based surfaces than on the usual surfaces you find in a hospital," he argues. "It is an exciting development and could provide NHS Trusts with yet another means of tackling the spread of healthcare associated infections.”
The use of copper as a preventative health measure is becoming increasingly well recognised. Copper is the first solid surface material to be registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency as having proven public health benefits, helping to reduce contamination between cleans. Antimicrobial copper surfaces have been shown to kill more than 99.9% of specific bacteria (including the MRSA superbug) within two hours, and to continue to kill more than 99% of these bacteria even after repeated contamination.
Noeleen Sheridan explains the relevance of this to those responsible for infection prevention and control:
“Copper touch surfaces serve as an extra line of defence in addition to the hospital’s accredited hygiene measures. This initiative is part of our commitment to improving the quality of patient safety and care through effective risk management and infection control.”
Whilst St Francis is leading the way, it seems other healthcare facilities will not be left behind. Healthcare architects in the UK have begun specifying antimicrobial copper, and many refurbishment projects are anticipated across NHS Trusts in 2010.

In Ireland, there are around 25,000 HAI's recorded a year, with one in 20 inpatients contracting at least one infection solely as a consequence of being a hospital patient.

In the European Union, mortality directly attributable to nosocomial infections is estimated to be around 37,000 per year, while they contribute to an estimated 110,000 further deaths. The total annual healthcare costs of such infections for the EU was estimated at around €7 billion in 2008.

T: 01442 275705
E: bryony.samuel@copperdev.co.uk
W: www.copperinfo.co.uk