Welco helps NHS combat MRSA bug
Europe’s leading supplier of workplace and office equipment is helping UK NHS trusts fight hospital bugs.
Welco is supplying powerful steam cleaning machines to hospitals as part of the Government’s deep clean programme. The latest order for 12 vacuum steam cleaners has been shipped to the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust for use on both existing wards and in the new £15m Langley Green mental health hospital.
The new four-ward, 69 acute bed mental health hospital for working age adults in West Sussex, will be thoroughly steam cleaned to remove any potential infections before an official opening later this year.
Money for the 12 steam cleaners, which kill virtually all known bacteria and viruses, was initially funded under the Government’s hospital strategy designed to tackle potentially lethal infections including MRSA and clostridium difficile. The initial units proved so successful that additional units were purchased
Welco’s product manager, Neil Homer, said: “The cleaners are extremely powerful and deliver an intense steam that sanitises and sterilises. Used as part of a cleaning regime they will help hospitals in their fight against MRSA and C-difficile.”
A key component of the deep clean strategy is emptying wards to allow staff to carry out a more comprehensive clean than would other be done via day-to-day routines. Money has been allocated for specialist equipment including steam and ultrasonic cleaners.
MRSA rates hit a high in 2003-4 when there were 7684 reported throughout the country. Since then incidents have been falling steadily. The Government target is to bring the number down to 4000 for 2008.