皇冠体育app

Four new bedside furniture designs to reduce healthcare associated infections were made available today for the NHS to purchase after testing showed positive patient and staff feedback.

Trialled on wards in eight hospitals across England, the new designs for a patient chair, bedside cabinet, over-bed table and a commode proved easier and quicker to clean, and will further help in the fight to reduce healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) such as MRSA, C. difficile and MSSA.

皇冠体育app Design Bugs Out project - a partnership between the Department of Health and the Design Council - brought together clinical specialists, patients and frontline hospital staff with designers and manufacturers to produce furniture designs that are not only easier and quicker to clean but functional and comfortable and at a comparable price.

Hospital furniture design has not been assessed for many years, or been so thoroughly evaluated. 皇冠体育app ergonomically sound, robust and sustainable designs are the first to be tested by an independent laboratory for cleanability in comparison to existing hospital furniture, as well as user-friendliness by ward staff, patients and visitors. 皇冠体育app four pieces proved to be easier to clean after undergoing rigorous assessments that replicated routine hospital cleaning procedures of typically contaminated hospital furniture.

Health Minister Simon Burns said:

鈥淐leanliness is vital in preventing healthcare associated infections. 皇冠体育app NHS has already made significant reductions of MRSA bloodstream infections and C. difficile, but there is still room for further progress.

鈥溁使谔逵齛ppse four innovative and user-friendly furniture designs - now available for hospitals to buy - provide additional ways to help to reduce these infections. 皇冠体育appy will make it easier for staff to keep wards cleaner and help combat the spread of infections. This means keeping patients healthier, as well as saving the NHS money in the long term.鈥�

皇冠体育app evaluation feedback showed positive reactions from both patients and staff for all four products - with patient acceptability ratings proving high:

鈥⒙燩atient chair - 91 per cent found the chair clean, comfortable, safe and supportive
鈥⒙燘edside cabinet - 77 per cent thought that the new cabinet was sturdy and durable and looked good
鈥⒙燨verbed table - 91 per cent were in favour of the new design.
鈥⒙燙ommode - 90 per cent thought the commode looked good and they liked it

David Kester, Chief Executive of the Design Council, said:

鈥淭his is a great example of how design can find innovative new ways of tackling tricky problems and helping public services do better, for less. But it鈥檚 also a business success story - this project has generated valuable orders, created new markets and helped safeguard jobs.

鈥淗elping manufacturers work closely with designers and healthcare staff to develop these new product innovations has delivered a win-win for patients, staff and local economies.鈥澛犅�

皇冠体育app new designs were tested in eight showcase hospitals across England:

鈥⒙燙alderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
鈥⒙燙entral Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
鈥⒙燙ounty Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
鈥⒙營mperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
鈥⒙燣ewisham Healthcare NHS Trust
鈥⒙燤id Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust
鈥⒙燬outhampton University Hospitals NHS Trust
鈥⒙牷使谔逵齛pp Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust

Cheryl Etches, Chief Nursing Officer at Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals said:

鈥淭his was a fantastic opportunity to influence the design and manufacturing process of these commonly used pieces of health care equipment. 皇冠体育appse haven鈥檛 changed greatly in design for many years and, for this reason, this equipment has always been difficult to clean.

鈥淗aving this equipment on the wards makes the patient鈥檚 bedside environment easier to clean - which is beneficial for patients and staff.鈥�

皇冠体育app report published today of the evaluation is intended to assist the NHS in making informed decisions about purchasing the four Design Bugs Out products, which are now all available in the NHS Supply Chain catalogue online.

You can view the four designs on the .

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1.聽皇冠体育app evaluation can be found on the .

2.聽For more information please contact the Department of Health press office newdesk on 0207 210 5221.

3.聽High resolution images of the products are available - please contact the Design Council press office on 0207 420 5263.

Bedside cabinet

Commode

Over-bed table

Patient chair