Alasdair Sharp, UK & Ireland Head of Sales at Satino by WEPA, explores simple steps to reduce the spread of infection in care homes as winter approaches.
Care home staffing levels have been at an all-time low in 2022, resulting in detrimental impacts on quality of life for residents. While this winter will be the first without lockdown restrictions since 2019, there are still warnings of new COVID variants, along with other emerging viral diseases.
The highest NHS sickness absence rate of the year in the north west region was recorded in January 2022 at 7.9%, which exemplifies that staff absence is a more prevalent issue for the clinical industry in winter. With the addition of rising energy costs, economical infection control methods will make a huge difference for care homes as we transition to winter.
Speedy solution: Sanitiser
Hand sanitiser can be placed in visitor rooms, staff break rooms, and toilets to prevent the spread of microorganisms. No contact dispensers are an even more effective way to disinfect, as well as to minimise the probability of spreading germs. They also dispense a controlled amount of soap each time, avoiding excessive use at the same time as providing enough sanitiser for quality hygiene without requiring constant refills. Therefore, no-contact dispensers assist care homes to achieve hygiene standards without breaking the budget.
Product focus: Satino by WEPA’s clean and care sensor dispenser provides unsurpassed hygiene and convenience due to its sensor operation. This can be filled with 1000ml of foam soap or liquid soap, sanitiser, or toilet seat cleaner.
Visual reminders to wash hands
Despite its simplicity, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), hand hygiene is poorly practiced in many healthcare facilities, as one in three lack hand hygiene resources at the point of care. Therefore, visual reminders, such as placing signs at hand washing stations around the care home, is an effective way to reinforce hand hygiene standards.
WHO research found that correct hand hygiene can prevent up to 50% of avoidable infections acquired during healthcare delivery, including those affecting the health of the workforce. It goes to show that ensuring the simple action of handwashing is enacted by everyone in a care home can prevent the spread of disease and reduce staff absence.
Cut the cost with AutoCut dispensers and paper towels
Using paper towels is an effective alternative to hand dryers when it comes to reducing the transmission of germs in washrooms, due to the friction between our hands and the paper. In comparison, hand dryers distribute the remaining germs on our hands around the bathroom.
AutoCut dispensers remove the need to touch the whole roll of paper, further mitigating the spread of disease. Paper towels and AutoCut dispensers also provide an alternative to using electricity to power hand dryers, thus reducing electricity bills.
Product focus: Satino’s AutoCut dispensers hold up to 448 applications per filling. With innovative cutting technology they operate autonomously, meaning that no mains power is required.
Reliable distributer
Using a reliable distributer becomes even more important in the winter months when infections are on the rise, as there is no room for errors when it comes to ensuring the availability of hygiene resources. With ongoing supply chain issues and now the cost-of-living and energy crises, the reliability of a supplier is essential. Having a reputable supplier also gives care homes the choice of the best hygiene solutions for their premises.
Satino by WEPA is a supplier you can rely on. We create modern hygiene solutions which turn washrooms into a reflection of your business. We are backed by a committed team of experienced professionals that support the expansion of your business with their knowhow and expertise.
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