HealthCare Systems

Following increased media coverage on the cleanliness of hospitals and the danger of deadly ‘super bugs’, the Government’s ‘Deep Clean’ policy has been brought in to ensure all hospitals undergo a ‘deep clean’, incorporating everything from the larger elements through to all fixtures and fittings. In response to heightened demand, the market has seen an explosion of products, designed to ensure the ultimate hygienic solution.

Hospital Superbugs

During recent years, the news agenda has been permeated with concerns over the rise in hospital superbugs, culminating in a damning indictment of hygiene levels in the health service. One report showed that a prime stomach bug found in hospitals, Clostridium Difficile claimed 72% more lives in 2006 than it did in 2005. In fact, it was shown that since 1990 the number of people infected by this deadly bug has risen 50-fold. This is in addition to the threat posed by one of the most common hospital superbugs, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) which has been linked to 9,510 deaths since 1993. Illustrating the immense scale of the problem, it has been estimated that almost three times as many people are now killed by hospital infections as are killed on the roads each year.

Government ‘Deep Clean’ Programme

Consequently, in September 2007 the Government announced the ‘Deep Clean’ programme, with an aim for every NHS hospital to be thoroughly cleaned to industrial standards, including all fastenings and fixings, in a bid to tackle such hospital superbugs. As an added knock-on effect of this, the electrical industry has seen an unprecedented demand for products which can work to improve hygiene in healthcare. Many leading manufacturers have subsequently dedicated significant resource to developing highly innovative and advanced solutions for healthcare institution, helping contractors and installers meet this developing requirement.

Products with Antimicrobial Properties

There is, for example, an expansive array of cable management products with antimicrobial properties, designed specifically for industries where hygiene is a top priority. As microbial organisms can also cause product deterioration, discoloration and bad odours, these products combine antimicrobial treatments to help prevent these effects and provide an extra level of protection when combined with normal cleaning procedures. These systems typically use a bespoke PVC-U treated with a silver-based material. This delivers ongoing antimicrobial properties that prevent 99.9% of harmful bacteria growth, without impacting on the effectiveness of the product itself, even if scratched or damaged.

Studies Show Effectiveness of Antimicrobial Treatments

To provide a clearer understanding of the undisputed effect of such systems, numerous studies have been completed, comprising of separate testing for MSRA and Klebsiella Pneuoniae, in accordance with ISO 22196:2007 on a Bio and a non-Bio sample, to expose the known quantity of bacteria under laboratory conditions. Following a period of 24 hours, the quantity of bacteria still present was measured. These studies have shown, in both cases, the survival rate of bacteria on the Bio sample to be less than 0.1%.

Scratch-Free Designs Reduce Dirt Traps

Many premium electrical accessories brands have also developed equally innovative solutions to aid in the healthcare sector’s ongoing battle against superbugs. Health environments can look to safeguard from germs by using wiring accessories which incorporate a high grade thermoset material with similar inherent properties to antimicrobial additives, helping to significantly inhibit the growth of infectious diseases. Again, these products even incorporate a scratch-free design meaning there are no dirt traps for bacteria to breed.

Broader Solutions Offer Hygiene, Adaptability & Security

Looking to the wider picture, while hygiene is the primary focus of such solutions, many manufacturers have also given considerable time to introducing added benefits to the health sector. To allow for utmost flexibility, many of these ranges include single and double gang socket outlets and are available in either switched or unswitched. These are suitable for all builds, ensuring the benefit of easily ‘adding on’ as needs evolve. To ensure maximum safety in an environment where it is so pivotal, others boast a highly effective ‘child resistant shutter system’, which only opens when the plug is positioned correctly and can considerably reduce misuse. This provides a comprehensive solution for the key healthcare issues of hygiene, adaptability and security.

As the media continues to dedicate news time and column inches to the issues around cleanliness within health establishments, there will remain an environment of concern around hygiene. As a result, the increasing demands for electrical products which can contribute to any hygiene regime will only escalate and contractors will need to stay aware of this in order to meet the evolving needs of their customer and, in turn, provide a competitive edge and make healthy profits.

Have you ever played the “what if” game? Einstein played ‘what if’ in order to discover his theory of relativity. “What if” opens up doors. And now that mainstream science has crossed the threshold into quantum science, we are witnessing more progress than ever before.

What if cancer isn’t really a disease, but rather a behaviour? The question begs the next question, “What would it take to prevent that behaviour?” What if doctors are wrong about disease? Have doctors ever been wrong? Did you know that doctors in the 1800s believed that giving you a tobacco enema was good for you? If it was 1850 today, and you tried to argue with your doctor about the relative efficacy of tobacco enemas, he’d write you off as a nut case!

It seems to me that the attitude of the 1800s prevails even today. Do we want to bet the farm on a single roll of the dice? Who is asking the right questions for us? Who controls the medical system? Who benefits when you get sick? What would happen if no one got sick?

It was a wise person who once said, “all things in moderation”. It was an even wiser person in Hippocrates who said, “Let food be your medicine.” There are those that believe we are here as a result of some big bang and that we grew from amoebas in the primordial soup! They believe that eventually we developed into homo sapiens and that we continue to evolve.

There are others that believe we are here by design. I am not here to judge either view. Each of us in entitled to our individual beliefs. What I do know is that your beliefs dictate who you are and who you become. What you think about most will manifest in your reality.

Wallace Wattles and Charles Haanel talked about this in the early 1900s. In the later part of the 19th century, Esther and Jerry Hicks wrote volumes on the subject. So too did Bob Monroe and Bob Procter. I view these folks as the forerunners to later works such as “The Secret” and others.

In 2010 there are simply more questions than answers. But what is different today, as opposed to 1800, is that we have a new learning model. We are more open-minded and we have better research tools and planetary databases. We can leverage efforts across continents and through cyberspace.

When Glenn Reynolds wrote “An Army of Davids”, it was a profound piece of work. It opened minds. Since the publication date of that book, there have been significant changes in the landscape. Now we have PJTV that appears positioned to eventually outrank mainstream media! And because they became propaganda instruments for large corporate interests, mainstream media positioned itself to take a beating in the ratings. They have effectively opened a “worm hole” for independent interests to flourish. This is a wonderful thing, because it means that “An Army of Davids” can now become an “Armada of Davids”. And the truth will surely set us all free.