Case story - UCLH

UCLH reduces the spread of infection

"Vikan's trolley-based system and unique mop release eliminates the manual handling of dirty mop heads, which minimises the risk of cross-contamination. It also particularly appeals to our cleaning personnel that the tool handle is adjustable, allowing for light and easy movement across floors, which in turn reduces the possibility of repetitive strain injuries to muscles and joints".

- Site Services Manager at The Heart Hospital.

About UCLH

University College London Hospitals (UCLH) NHS Foundation Trust operates six hospitals. Between them, UCLH's Heart Hospital and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN) have more than 1200 staff, and treat around 7500 inpatients and more than 125,000 outpatients each year.

Challenge

It is recognised within the cleaning industry that traditional disinfectants, such as Quats (which are used to protect against HAIs and other harmful pathogens), degrade the built environment and, in some cases, drive antimicrobial resistance. UCLH were looking for a replacement means for effective bacteria removal.

Solution

After evaluating a range of competitive cleaning products and equipment, UCHL selected the Vikan microfibre range for delivering the highest level of infection control and visible cleanliness, as well as offering the high quality, value-for-money solution they sought. Vikan also met UCLH's other key criteria in providing an ease of use, colour-code options and ongoing technical support.

Of particular appeal was the Vikan trolley workstation with its range of pre-prepared mops and cloths that are adaptable to any application. Not only does the Vikan system offer a reduction in cross-contamination, through the zoned use of mops and cloths, but also the ready-to-use tools and single work processes leave surfaces dry in one pass. This reduces slips and saves time, while effectively eliminating the damp environment bacteria require to breed.

The Vikan range has a number of other benefits: it offers a more ergonomic working method to safeguard operator health through tool design and eliminating heavy water buckets; has lower levels of environmental impact due to reduced water demand and lower detergent use; and delivers a longer textile life.

UCLH swab analysis undertaken before and after the implementation of the new cleaning programme confirmed that the Vikan microfibre system has delivered a cleaner environment, improvement in the cleaning performance and enhanced levels of bacteria removal.