Automatic choice?
April 1st 2008

Lotus Professional examines the ongoing fight against hospital related infection within the NHS and how the situation can be improved

All staff within a hospital environment work under incredible stresses and strains.They are constantly monitored and assessed on a variety of measures,many of which do not directly relate to saving people's lives.However, the fight against hospital related infections is an area that needs a specific focus as it is a matter of life and death.

Statistics from the National Healthcare Commission show that in 2006/7 just 44 per cent of NHS hospital trusts were on track to meet their reduction targets for MRSA, which is down from 53 per cent in 2005/6.

In addition,The Office for National Statistics** shows that the number of death certificates in England and Wales that mention Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) has soared from 1,000 in 1999 to nearly 6,500 in 2006.

These figures are clearly worrying, but it is not all doom and gloom.

In 2007, a programme of unannounced visits to hospitals began in order to monitor levels of hygiene and identify areas in need of improvement.At the end of October 2007 the Healthcare Commission had undertaken 87 of the 120 planned visits.These visits revealed encouraging results: only one hospital had to be issued with an improvement notice.

So what can be done ? With such a mixed picture across the country how easy is it to improve infection control? One key answer is to implement simple hygiene and cleaning practices.

According to the Royal College of Nursing,washing and drying hands properly is the most important activity in reducing the spread of infection within hospitals.Much has been done to raise the awareness of this over the past few years and not just to nursing staff.

Relatives of patients, cleaning staff and all visitors to hospitals need to be aware of the problems and how to reduce the risks they pose.

The cleaning equipment used plays a vital role in this fight as it is not enough to simply to wash and dry your hands, it has to be done properly.

When it comes to choosing hand drying equipment for washrooms and hand washing areas, Lotus Professional claims an automated hand towel dispenser (such as its own enMotion unit) provides one of the most hygienic solutions available.Unlike warm air dryers which use recycled air, dispersing bacteria around the washroom and back on to hands, a hand towel dispenser uses a clean hygienic sheet each time. In addition, an automated dispenser greatly reduces the possibility of cross-contamination during hand drying.

enMotion has been designed with hygiene as its main priority, ensuring that the user is not required to touch the surface at all.The system works with the use of a sensor which distributes a length of paper towel when a hand is waved in front of the dispenser.The paper roll towel is fully enclosed within the dispenser ensuring that the user only ever touches the hand towels that are needed.

Hospitals as hotels ? Under new NHS guidelines patients will be able to choose and book the hospital where they want to be treated, at a date that is suitable for them. In effect, hospitals are therefore competing to attract patients. Lotus Professional's Emma Nourry says this means an even greater importance will be placed on aesthetics, comfort and cleanliness.

"The standard of facilities and surroundings will need to be improved in many establishments in order for hospitals to compete for patients who will expect an increasingly high quality ambiance in addition to expert treatment when they are admitted." She says they might do well looking to the leisure industries, such as the hotel trade for inspiration.

"Patient health clearly comes first, but when people have a choice it is surprising how important the seemingly smaller factors can become.The hotel industry has known for many years that even if they provide great service and superior bedrooms, if their bathrooms are shabby people are unlikely to return.

"Lotus Professional has years of experience working with the NHS, and our products are hygienic and well-suited to infection control."

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