Machine to reduce risk of MRSA installed at Bantry Hospital

A machine which can significantly reduce the presence of MRSA and the winter vomiting bug has been installed in a Cork hospital.

Thu, 23 Apr, 2015 - 01:00

Sean O’Riordan

It is the first time that the Glosair 400 System has been used in a Cork hospital. It has been installed at Bantry General Hospital, thanks to a voluntary group.

The machine emits low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide which kills microbes without leaving toxic residues.

The €25,000 cost was met by the Friends of Bantry Hospital Group and the machine has been widely deployed in healthcare settings for both routine prevention and outbreak management

Staff are currently undergoing training to use the equipment and its running costs will also be met by the voluntary group.

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Maureen Minihane, the hospital’s director of nursing, said the Glosair machine is an advanced sterilisation/decontamination product and has the ability to inactivate a broad spectrum of micro-organisms, viruses and spores.

“In decontaminating all isolation areas of the hospital between each patient with this system, we are increasing protection from healthcare associated infections and providing an enhanced standard to our patients.”

Ms Minihane said she wished to thank the Friends of Bantry General Hospital for supporting the initiative.

Hospital manager Jackie Daly said it was a very busy place and staff were committed to improving hygiene standards at all times.

“We are a busy centre for acute hospital services for the wide population we serve. As well as our local injury unit service, we’re using over 90 inpatient beds (in addition to 10-day places) process over 4,100 inpatient cases a year, plus over 2,200 day cases,” Ms Daly said.

“We also have a throughput of 9,000 outpatients at clinics. Over 200 staff here —clinicians, nurses, support staff and those in administration — are committed to hygiene practice and willing to continuously improve our standards,” she said.

Ms Daly said hospital management were delighted when the voluntary group approached them and offered to finance the system.

“The people of West Cork are a source of ongoing, sterling support to us and their enthusiastic fundraising in this latest respect has been matched by the co-operation and enthusiasm of our staff to integrate the new machine into our everyday practice,” Ms Daly said.