Numbers of patients that contracted healthcare associated infections (HAIs) at a pair of British hospitals have dropped dramatically following the introduction of the ASP GLOSAIR™ area decontamination system.

From December 2007 to March 2008, before the GLOSAIR™ system was introduced, Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen lost 1,770 bed days to Norovirus. A year later, with the system integral to their infection prevention policy, only 418 bed days were lost during the period, saving the trust 1,352 bed days and £650,000 (£500 per day). The numbers then dropped in 2009/10 to 298 bed days and even further to 232 from December 2010 to March 2011.

Learn how the hospital trust achieved this turnaround with a proactive approach to infection prevention.

HAIs – The facts...and figures you should know

The Role of Hydrogen Peroxide in Infection Prevention

ASP Centre of Excellence for Infection Prevention

Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) are acquired by 4.1 million patients in Europe per year, at a cost of an estimated £5.48 billion to healthcare providers. Preventative measures that help to fight infection can deliver time and cost efficiencies and should therefore be a key priority for healthcare providers.

There is evidence that a mist of hydrogen peroxide can be an effective method for area decontamination and be an important part of an infection prevention program. This is the conclusion of a systematic review by Falagas ME, et al. published in the Journal of Hospital Infection in 2011. Ten different studies on the usage of hydrogen peroxide for area decontamination were reviewed and showed significant results for the termination of infectious pathogens.

The official launch of ASP’s global Centre of Excellence for Infection Prevention at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, and the story of their success in radically reducing healthcare acquired infections (HAIs), has generated interest across the UK media.

Stories charting the infection prevention journey of the Royal Liverpool Hospital have appeared everywhere from BBC Television News and The Guardian national newspaper, to The Clinical Services Journal and Inside Hospitals Magazine.