Hospital Bulletin

25 May 2011

In healthcare environments, vulnerable end users require protection from dangerously hot surfaces.

It is therefore a critical consideration for service providers that the products they use have low surface temperatures, are hygienic, easily operated and low maintenance.

“We chose to use the DeepClean LST Radiator guard from Contour Casings because of its robust construction and the ease and efficiency with which our staff can independently clean and maintain the product, helping them meet cleaning audits without difficulty”, explained Paul Harrison, Works and Estates Officer at Royal Gwent NHS Trust.

Contours’ flagship radiator guard has recently been widely-used throughout 45 healthcare properties managed by the Royal Gwent NHS Trust in South Wales, with over 1500 guards being installed during this significant project.

Traditional low surface temperature radiators (LST’s) and the convection process of drawing in cool air and expelling warm air, provide ideal conditions for the growth and distribution of dirt and bacteria. Currently, removing a traditional fixed radiator guard for internal cleaning is a slow, labour-intensive process, requiring the help of Estates personnel and taking up to 30 minutes to remove, disassemble, clean, reassemble and refit one single guard.

Intense recent media coverage surrounding “Superbugs” such as MRSA, E.coli and other healthcare acquired infections (HAI’s) adds to the growing demands placed upon service providers. The problem of eradicating “Superbugs” is compounded by the difficulty in accessing behind objects such as radiators and radiator guards for cleaning and maintenance.

“Retro-fitting radiator guards to properties comprising of modern buildings and Victorian structures presents a vast array of problems”, says Paul Harrison of Gwent NHS Trust. “Thankfully, somebody was always available from the technical department at Contour Casings to provide a fast and effective solution to whatever we encountered. We always received a very personal, holistic service, with the Contract Manager attending regular infection control meetings and working closely with independent advisors and H&S Executives”.

Innovative technological advancements in radiator guard design by Contour Casings has introduced products to the market that help to eliminate many longstanding problems. Leading radiator guard models now feature quick release, full-access, hinged doors, allowing cleaning personnel to lower the front of a casing down to floor level and clean a unit internally and on their own, without having to remove the guard or ask for assistance from the Estates Department. This dramatically reduces the required cleaning time to 5 minutes, making the process more cost-effective and facilitating a more comprehensive cleaning capability.

By incorporating additional developments within the market, such as rotary valve fittings, radiators can also be lowered down to floor level, making it now possible to clean the radiator on all sides, as well as the wall around and behind.

In a further effort to eliminate the spread of HAI’s, Contour Casings are now the only LST Radiator manufacturer to introduce BioCote® anti-microbial additive during the powder-coating process. This method uses silver-based ion technology to inhibit the growth of bacteria; products can then be prevented from harbouring and distributing bacteria throughout the full duration of their life.

Leigh Simpson, Managing Director at Contour Casings, says, ”We have worked closely with industry experts to develop a range of products and accessories suitable for almost any healthcare application. At the heart of our company ethos is a desire to play our part in the fight against HAI’s, the close relationships we have built up over many years of working successfully within the health sector, have helped us to understand intimately the needs of cleaning personnel and how we can help them meet daily cleaning targets”.

In the current uncertain climate of budget cuts and falling staffing levels, organisations are increasingly looking to improve operating efficiencies and methods of best practise. It is estimated that in a hospital containing 800 radiators, installing products such as the DeepClean LST Radiator from Contour Casings, can help improve traditional cleaning schedules from 14 radiators per day to 84 (per person), potentially saving an organisation over £1.575 Million per year in overall costs, with each new LST radiator therefore saving £1968 per annum.

Paul Harrison, Estates Officer at Gwent NHS, said, “Contour helped us develop a range of bespoke and standardised radiator guards for use across our many varied properties, we worked phase by phase; signing each phase of as we went along, our ABHB Health & Safety Department particularly liked this method of working. Patient disturbance was always a key consideration for the Contour installation team and the overall project was completed well within time and under budget”.

In a further addition to their range, Contour Casings has developed a specialist range of anti-ligature LST radiators for application in secure environments such as mental health facilities. As death from hanging can often occur when an individual is not fully suspended, the inspection of psychiatric wards for potential ligature points should focus on fixtures and fittings at all heights, grilles and external TRV’s in LST radiators pose particular danger.

With this in mind, Contour Casings has recently installed a number of its anti-ligature LST radiator guards on the Felindre Ward at Bronllys Hospital in Powys. Steve Watkins, Estates Officer for Powys Teaching Health Board, said, “We approached this project from the perspective of providing a safe environment for our clients, preferring the DeepClean Anti-ligature Guard as it satisfied all of our criteria. I was delighted with the quality of the workmanship, the finished product and how the installation team worked neatly and efficiently within tight deadlines to meet our capital programme. The product has performed superbly, ultimately enhancing the clients’ environment and safety; it will also assist staff in complying with cleaning audits.”

Achieving the fine balance between safety and functionality is an issue faced by many service providers. However, protecting vulnerable end users from hot surfaces, while still ensuring products are practical to use and meet strict cleaning schedules is a more specific problem relevant to environment’s where hygiene is of critical importance. By embracing the latest developments in LST radiator technology from Contour Casings, operating costs and efficiencies can be significantly improved, resulting in cleaner, safer facilities, and benefitting both end user and service provider.

For further information on the products and services offered by Contour Casings, visit www.contourcasings.co.uk. Alternatively, email; enquiry@contourcasings.co.uk, or telephone; 01952 290 498.

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Hospital Bulletin

25 May 2011

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