Hygiene

An end to out-sourcing?

As MRSA affects about 300,000 patients and costs UK £1 billion annually, the country's public services union demands the return of in-house cleaners. Report: Peter Howieson

Advancing world hygiene standards

TopLine, the new range of bedpan washers/disinfectors from Meiko set new standards.

Water purity for dialysis patients

UK - Dialysis patients are exposed to 50 times more mains water than well people. The new 33-bed renal dialysis ward at Southmead Hospital, Bristol, uses at least 1,000 litres of water per hour from the mains water supply. To ensure constant flow - and water purity for patients - the ward has installed a water treatment system

TB - Tuberculosis

Discovery of cell receptor CCR5 might help tackle TB.

PNEUMONIA

It kills more children than any other illness. According to UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO) that includes AIDS, malaria and measles combined - yet pneumonia remains a forgotten disease. A report published by the two organisations aims to provoke action to reduce child mortality from pneumonia.

Sharing the load

New to MEDICA this year is MLR, whose automated guided vehicles (AGV) have been radically modified transport containers in hospitals.

Water purifiers for renal care network

One of the largest renal programms startet at Leicester General Hospital, part of the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

Cheering up the wards

While bringing friends and loved ones flowers can cheer them up, dealing with the vases can cause headaches for care professionals.

Meet them in Minsk

Danube seeks international distributors at the Laundry and dry-cleaning exhibition held in Minsk.

A large chamber washer/disinfector

Hamo Jupiter Large Chamber Washer/Disinfector meets the international standards for washing/disinfecting.

What about the kitchen?

A recently published report reveals that hygiene standards in some hospital kitchens in the UK are far beyond common standards.

Phenomenal success for bedpans

Currently, the only bedpan cleaners with a totally sealed wash-chamber are the TopLine appliances made by Meiko.

Cardiac centre raises hygiene standards

Many hospitals pay more attention to complex hygiene solutions they do on another, simple solution: hand washing.

New anaesthetic face mask enhancements

The new face masks are lightweighted and without PVC.

Community acquired pneumonia

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major health problem globally. A new test now quickly identify pathogens. BinaxNOW tests quickly identify pathogens

Tap water

Hospital acquired infections affect about half a million people annually, and water is a serious source of infection.

Resistance to silver-containing wound dressings

Is a sharp weapon being blunted? Article by Heidi Heinhold.

Cleaning up the confusion over hand hygiene

According to Federal Office statistics around 30,000 Germans die annually due to nosocomial infections.

Touch-less sensor dispenser

The Japanese firm Saraya, which for 50 years has successfully manufactured hygiene products and programmes for healthcare, facility management and the food industry, has launched a touch-less hand disinfection unit in Europe. According to Mr ter Woort, General Manager, Saraya Europe, the company has already sold over 100,000 of these units in Asia & the USA.

Thermofocus

"Thermofocus* is the first non-contact clinical thermometer in the world and the only one working at an accurate and determinate distance," Tecnimed srl, its manufacturer, reports. "Body temperature is measured in less than one second by pointing Thermofocus at the centre of the forehead."