Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust in the UK is using the Clean Pullcord in its hospitals to help reduce the spread of germs.
Standard pullcords can be breeding grounds for germs, as they are frequently used and difficult to clean, but the Clean Pullcord has a polymer coating with integral Biomaster Protection, a silver-based antimicrobial additive supplied by Addmaster (UK), headquartered in Stafford.
Added at the point of manufacture, Biomaster Protection has been independently tested to reduce levels of harmful bacteria such as MRSA, E.coli, listeria, salmonella, campylobacter, legionella and pseudomonas by more than 99%.
As well as preventing bacterial growth, the Clean Pullcord is easy to wipe and will not discolour, eliminating the need to replace it.
Lynne Taylor, Contracts Manager for the Barking Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust, said: ‘We are very pleased with the Biomaster Clean Pullcords; from an infection control aspect the cords meet the required criteria. The product is easy to clean and robust enough for the high usage of wards, outpatients and public toilets within our Trust.
‘We have recently undertaken the annual PLACE Assessments (Patient Led Assessment of the Care Environment) on our sites where condition and cleanliness of toilet pull cords forms part of the scoring, and all received a ‘Pass’ score.’
