Why Hygiene Is Non-Negotiable In Any Medical Setting

Anyone who works in the medical field enters the profession to help people and potentially save lives. It is well known that prevention is better than cure, and so your medical practice must place hygiene and disease transmission prevention at the front and centre of their policies. This includes both the organisation itself and each and every employee.

The most significant source of germ transmission in the healthcare industry is via hands. This became one of the focal points for the general public during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, with a huge focus placed on encouraging people to wash their hands properly in order to prevent the infection from spreading.

What Can Your Medical Establishment Do To Minimise The Risk of Cross Contamination?

Education

The first key to improving hygiene in any medical establishment involves educating your staff.

Never assume that they inherently know the various procedures such as how to wash their hands properly, how to cough or sneeze properly to minimise infection spread and even things such as not having long nails, wearing nail polish or fake nails.

Unfortunately, this is not a set-and-forget approach; continued education must be built into your procedures with current and new staff.

Investment in Automation and Technology To Reduce The Risk

Human error will always be the biggest risk to cross-contamination, which is why, where possible, it is a good idea to invest in technology to maximise efficiency and reduce risk. Dekomed is one of the leading providers of washer disinfectors for hospital, veterinary and laboratory use in the United Kingdom.

When it comes to disinfecting medical equipment after a procedure, cleaning scalpels and other tools by hand poses significant risks. Can we honestly hand on heart say that every staff member will clean the equipment to the required standard? Additionally, will they be able to properly clean every surface of every tool and then there is the risk of cutting themselves on sharp scalpels?

This is not only a genuine risk but considering that these scalpels or needles may have been exposed to blood-transmitted infections, the risk to your staff is very high and needs to be properly managed.

With a Dekomed Washer Disinfector, all of these risks are dramatically reduced. The washing process is automated, and every aspect of the cycle is designed to ensure complete consistency and medical quality disinfection. The machines are easy to operate, meaning that every member of staff can play their part in the process, which builds in some resilience to your procedures.

As a manager or owner of a medical facility, it makes sense to do everything possible to minimise risk and cross-contamination. Many of our clients regularly tell us that having invested in one of our washer disinfectors that they could never go back. The question is can you afford not to utilise technological advances?

If you would like to invest in a washer disinfector or discuss the options available to your organisation, contact our friendly and knowledgeable customer service team today on 0161 483 7333. It could be the best business decision you have ever made!