BES Healthcare has been providing the UK healthcare market with world class infection prevention solutions for over 25 years, supporting the NHS and private healthcare providers within both community and acute settings
There is no denying the huge impact the coronavirus epidemic has had, not only on everyone’s day-to-day lives, but also on every industry over the last six months, especially healthcare. Care, residential, and nursing homes have been the most affected, where the vulnerable are cared for. The spread of the virus is taking its toll on staff and residents both mentally and physically. It is also causing staff to fall ill, meaning there is less staff on site to care for residents – putting even more pressures on homes.
In a study undertaken by the Office of National Statistics, it was estimated that 56% of care homes reported at least one confirmed case of coronavirus (staff or resident). Out of these 7% of staff tested positive for COVID-19.1
Measures have been put into place to help mitigate the spread of the virus within homes, including use of PPE, staff cohorting (working in dedicated groups), visitor restrictions, and heightened infection control protocols.
These measures are all important and appropriate for mitigating risk and ensuring health and safety. Despite these measures being implemented, infections are still occurring.
Infection control – what to consider
The key area of focus for BES Healthcare is Infection Prevention and Control. This has always been a vital matter to those working within the care sector. But now, more than ever, it has become an intrinsic part of the care provided by homes to keep staff and residents safe. For homes to deliver a clean and safe environment, staff must be equipped with the right tools for decontaminating rooms, touch points, and equipment effectively.
When selecting the best tools for infection control, one should consider a number of factors:
- The time it takes to decontaminate
- Staff limitations (less staff to more residents)
- Effectiveness of the disinfectant
- Any adverse effects of the disinfectant
- How to decontaminate hard-to-reach areas and intricate surfaces
Infection control is not just about wiping down surfaces, it is also about using the right disinfectant to ensure the area is free from bacteria and viruses. It is also important to consider the damaging effects some disinfectants can have on soft furnishings (e.g. bleach).
Given the current pressures faced by staff, decontamination needs to be a quick and effective process. Choosing an appropriate, quick, and effective, method of decontamination enables fewer staff to cover a larger area (or more rooms, or equipment), and frees up staff time to provide quality care to residents.
Prevent infection before it happens with Hygienio
Taking the above factors into account, the Hygienio System offers a mobile, easy to use solution for disinfecting rooms and surfaces within homes:
- Saves time: works in 10 minutes and dries rapidly
- Increased coverage: easy to use and transport
- Effective disinfectant: targets a broad range of viruses, bacteria, spores, and fungi
- Safety: eliminates the risk of cross-contamination associated with wiping
- Damage-free: can be used on soft furnishings without bleaching or causing damage
- Total disinfection: mist gets to hard-to-reach areas and intricate surfaces
- Neutralises odours: such as urine and smoke
The Hygienio system can be applied to outbreak areas and isolation rooms, unaffected areas, and common touch surfaces (such as door handles, light switches, and bed rails). The system not only offers proven disinfection and helps to alleviate staff pressures, but also provides peace of mind for managers.
Hygienio is being used worldwide in daily decontamination processes, not just to control, but to prevent infection.
How the Hygienio System works:
The system allows for a uniform mixing of the disinfectant agent and pressurised steam. This mixture is then sprayed as a light mist through the diffuser nozzle and applied to areas that require disinfection. The mist ensures that the disinfectant gets to even difficult to reach areas, on rough or intricate surfaces, and fabrics.
Free support, training, and advice for the care sector
There have been some undeniable changes we have all had to make during this pandemic. Having served the healthcare industry for over 25 years, BES Healthcare fully understands the current challenges faced by care workers and healthcare staff.
This is why BES Healthcare is offering a free-of-charge no obligation support, training, and advice service. This service includes advice on hygiene and decontamination, health, and safety assistance in line with government guidelines, and socially distanced site visits (where possible). During these site visits, BES Infection Prevention Experts will discuss and review your requirements along with your current procedures. Our experts will report back to you, advising best practices and health and safety guidance.
Along with a range of infection prevention solutions for your decontamination needs – from total room disinfectors to targeted backpack systems – BES Healthcare is offering:
- Free video instructions
- Free virtual meetings and demos
- Free site surveys
- Free consultations
- Free phone support
- Free business case support
The bottom line is that outbreaks need to be prevented within care settings to protect the staff and the vulnerable residents. This can be achieved by making effective infection control tools available to homes. The Hygienio system is but one of these tools, designed for quick and effective disinfection.
For further information about how BES Healthcare can support you, contact the team on +44 (0)1179 666 761, or email info@beshealthcare.net.
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