Getting a handle on contamination control

A new £700,000 doctor's surgery in Stock, Essex, UK, is installing door handles featuring Microban, an antibacterial and antifungal protection that is built into products during manufacture to prevent its erosion over time.

The decision was made by Dr David Acorn and Dr John Coffin because of their fears about cross-contamination. “It seems to be a good way of protecting against the spread of certain types of infection,” said Acorn. "The handles on our doors have the antiseptic built in so that the germs will be killed pretty quickly."

Acorn believes “the NHS is missing a trick”, adding that, “like food factories we should be building professional healthcare buildings from materials which are not just functional but can actively protect against the spread of disease.” However, regular hand-washing remains a priority for the doctors.

“Technological developments in building design and construction that may help reduce the risk of infection are welcome, but at the moment there is a lack of evidence that these surfaces work,” said Dr Jean-Yves Maillard, a microbiologist at Cardiff University, Wales. The only evidence we have is from the laboratory where they do work, but conditions there are different." The Department of Health regularly reviews such products and materials, but a spokesman said that at present there is insufficient data to conduct a review of Microban.