Robot Enlisted in Fight Against MRSA

Number of infections is down, says local NHS Trust

Hammersmith Hospital is to be one of the first hospitals in the country to benefit from new infection-busting technology, including an MRSA-zapping robot.

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is one of just seven organisations nationwide to test out six new types of technology, all designed to reduce levels of infection, particularly MRSA and C. difficile.

The equipment being trialled across the Trust's hospitals includes a “vapour decontaminating robot”.

The machine measures the dimensions of a sealed room before emitting hydrogen peroxide vapour to kill off antibiotic-resistant organisms, such as MRSA, on surfaces like monitors and ventilators.

The other devices being tested out include a new skin decontaminant and a new bacteria monitoring system.

When the trials are over, towards the end of this year, the most successful products will be made more widely available to other hospitals.

The Trust’s showcase project manager Anthony Sewell said: “While our patients will be the first to benefit, the work we are doing will enable hospitals across the country to fight infections like MRSA and C. difficile more effectively.”

Director of infection prevention and control, Dr Alison Holmes added: “This is a landmark project. While there is still much work to be done across the Trust in improving patient safety and experience, we have significantly reduced our rates of infection over the last year.” 

According to the Trust, the latest data for July show that its hospitals were meeting and exceeding their reduction targets for MRSA and C.difficile cases.

However, hospital hygiene was brought under the spotlight recently when it was revealed that Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust had called in pest controllers 91 times between January 2006 and April 2008 to deal with rats, mice, cockroaches, ants, flies, pigeons, silverfish, bed bugs and moths.

A spokesman said: “Patient safety and hygiene is a top priority for the Trust. Working with pest control companies is part of the Trust’s work in keeping its hospitals clean and preventing outbreaks.” 

27 August 2008