Nanopool’s award-winning coating technology can be applied to a range of surfaces. The company claims it makes them easier and quicker to clean and also provides long-term anti-bacterial protection. The coating is already used in industries such as food production, hotels and healthcare.
Evaluations took place at Southport and Formby District General Hospital under the watchful eye of Martin Kiernan, nurse consultant for the prevention and control of infection. Martin, who is also president of the Infection Prevention Society, helped to identify suitable wards and develop the protocol.
He also made sure samples were taken on a regular basis and tested using the ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) method, an established way to gauge the level of microbes on a surface and measure the effectiveness of cleaning techniques.
Within the selected wards, high-contact surfaces such as bedside tables and dressing trolleys were identified and split into two groups. The coating was then applied by Neil McClelland of Nanopool to surfaces in one group with those in the other group remaining uncoated.
James Corden, project manager with the Smart Solutions team, said: “To establish a baseline, samples were taken regularly over a three-week period prior to the surfaces being coated with Nanopool. Once coating had taken place, staff continued to take samples over the course of 12 weeks, to enable us to compare the results.
“It was of course important that the evaluation were not skewed by any changes in the cleaning routine. The trust’s site services manager Lynn Shaw liaised with the cleaning team to ensure that they followed exactly the same procedures before and after coatings were applied. The successful completion of the evaluation was a result of everyone, from consultants to cleaners, working together to make it happen.”
The list of people taking part included:
- Martin Kiernan – nurse consultant for the prevention and control of infection, Southport and Formby District General Hospital
- Neil McClelland – project manager UK for Nanopool GmbH
- Beverley Harrison – R&D manager, Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust
- Dr Judith Bowley – consultant medical microbiologist, Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust
- Lynn Shaw – site services manager, Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust
- Sheena Walker – matron, Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust
