Bristol hospital conducts 60-day steam cleaning trial

The result has seen a reduction in instances of both MRSA and C. Diff. And when taken with other measures, the rate of C. Diff has dropped by a quarter, while incidences of MRSA have fallen by 34% since 2003/4 when improved hygiene measures were put into place.

These results are said to make Weston General, in Weston-Super-Mare, one of the best performing hospitals, so much so, that a recent inspection accredited the hospital as a ‘site of excellence’. Where the benefits of ward steam cleaning have featured in particular, is in bed cleaning.

Traditionally, housekeeping staff always cleaned the bed frames by hand, while nursing staff took care of the bedding.

This has now changed completely, with a dedicated bed cleaning team being set up and who steam clean the entire bed, frame and mattress, freeing nursing staff for medical duties.

Now, at Weston General, no new patient can expect to be put into a bed that has not first been steam cleaned. Beds that have been steam cleaned are clearly marked with the date of cleaning and identifiable by green tape around the mattress.

The hospital has now also employed a full time bed steamer, and they are steaming beds daily from 11.00 am until 6.30 pm Monday to Friday.

Nursing Director Carolyn Moore said at the ‘end’ of the trials, said: ‘Every patient that becomes infected as a result of their hospital stay, or as a result of their treatment, is one too many, but in this hospital we have seen a reduction in the number of patients becoming infected with C. Diff so far this year, which is encouraging.’

Weston General has 20 OspreyDeepclean Steam & Vac pro machines, one for each ward. OspreyDeepclean machines used for decontamination within the healthcare sector have been microbiologically validated by the UCLH Environmental Research Unit in London, and also at TNO, in Holland.