With the announcement this week of the opening of a £1m intensive care unit at Trafford General Hospital benefiting from copper touch surfaces, a major WHO Infection Control event imminent and a growing number of suppliers offering Antimicrobial Copper Cu+ products, there is no shortage of news to report in this issue.
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Copper Provides Clinical Benefit to Patients
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New science to be presented at WHO ICPIC Conference
The first results from a three-centre clinical trial in the United States, conducted by renowned infectious disease clinicians and funded by the Department of Defense, will be reported by trial leader Dr Michael Schmidt at the World Health Organization's first International Conference on Prevention and Infection Control. The study, carried out in ICUs, found that the reduction in bioburden on copper surfaces compared to controls was 97%, equivalent to the level normally achieved by a terminal clean. Dr Schmidt will also report that a statistically significant and meaningful reduction in the acquisition of infections was observed in patients in 'copperised' rooms. Data analysis is ongoing with completion anticipated later this year. More |
| Antimicrobial Copper in £1m ICU | |
Copper deployed to "reduce infection risk"
A £1 million, eight-bed intensive care unit specially designed with cutting-edge infection prevention measures has just opened in Manchester, taking advantage of copper's antimicrobial efficacy for touch surfaces.
Door furniture in all clinical areas and work surfaces used for the preparation of medication have been made from copper. According to the story in the Manchester Evening News, copper "was chosen because it reduces infection risk."
The facility is the latest embodiment of Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust's commitment to an outstanding record on healthcare-associated infections. Dr John Barnes, lead consultant in intensive care and consultant anaesthetist, explained that the new unit "will provide a modern, patient-centred service and care to our most critically-ill patients, using the latest innovations in infection prevention and control."
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New Antimicrobial Copper Products Launched
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New product range in a silver-coloured alloy
 As a growing number of companies offering copper and copper alloy touch surface products sign up to use the Antimicrobial Copper brand and Cu+ mark, leading architectural ironmonger, Allgood, are the first to launch a branded range of door furniture and bathroom fittings in a copper alloy that offers the efficacy of copper and the aesthetic of stainless steel.
All items in the range are available in both a polished and brushed finish, and comprise lever and pull handles, push plates, escutcheons, cylinder and WC turns, cabinet handles, coat hooks and cistern flushes.
The Product Directory on the Antimicrobial Copper website has details of all the branded items on offer for the healthcare environment, and can be viewed by clicking More.
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