Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is one of the UK’s most common life-threatening inherited diseases, affecting some 8,500 children, teenagers and young adults. Hospital treatment is complex and lengthy and patients are isolated from family and friends and removed from their normal lives during treatment. Pseudomonas aeruginosa chest infections are of particular concern as the organism has been shown to be transmissible between people with CF, so it was important for the new facility to be designed with infection prevention measures firmly in mind.
Dr Frank Edenborough, consultant at the Sheffield Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre, and the cystic fibrosis team hoped to create with the new centre an environment to meet both the clinical and personal needs of patients. They helped design a ward that would combine key infection prevention measures with a comfortable and appealing environment to mitigate the boredom of prolonged stays.
“In a bid to set the gold standard for infection prevention in CF, we felt that copper could make an important contribution towards minimising surface contamination from hands or coughing, killing potentially dangerous pathogens in between cleans and augmenting rigorous hygiene protocols,” Edenborough said. “It is our hope that, in this way, copper will help reduce the risk of infections.”
Architect Rebecca Haverty of Race Cottam Associates, which designed the centre, added: “Common materials such as plastics may look clean, but they have no inherent antimicrobial efficacy. Antimicrobial copper can help to fight infection, so we were very keen to use it. We chose an almost pure copper to make a statement, but a nickel silver finish would look good too.”
Instinct Hardware in Birmingham supplied the antimicrobial copper components.
Recognising copper’s beauty as well as its beneficial antimicrobial properties, a piece of copper artwork has been commissioned for the clinic, which will greet patients, staff and visitors when they enter. The artwork is by London-based metal smith Adaesi Ukairo, who has a long-standing love of working with copper and its alloys, such as brass and bronze.
From the innovative and contemporary room designs to the antimicrobial copper touch surface components and the vibrant copper artwork, it is hoped by those working on the project that the new unit will not only provide a safe and hygienic environment for patients, but also one that will feel comfortable and inviting for long-term stays.
