explore the BusinessNet
Operation Odyssey Bio at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth
Story
Eleven operating theatres at a leading South West hospital have been fitted out with a new and unique cable containment system developed to lead the way in the fight against harmful and potentially deadly bugs, providing hospitals managers with an additional weapon in their battle against infection.
Cat 6 compliant Odyssey Bio has been tested to ISO 22196;2007 and is proven to exhibit reductions in bacterial viable counts by more than 99.99%. It is a most effective weapon in the battle against superbugs and cross-infection when used in conjunction with meticulous cleaning and personal hygiene routines.
It is also the first three compartment PVC-U cable containment system with a fully curved profile to be manufactured from a material with antimicrobial properties. It uses a proven silver-ion based technology to neutralise bugs that come into contact with it. Tests show that bacteria such as MRSA, E-Coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and salmonella are reduced by at least 99.99% after only 24 hours.
Importantly, because the antimicrobial ingredient is mixed into the PVC-U rather than applied as a surface coating, it continues to work even if the plastic is scratched or damaged, and will remain 100% effective throughout the life of the trunking as it does not leach out or suffer any reduction in performance over time.
Odyssey Bio proved perfect for 11 operating theatres at the Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, an acute general hospital that is part of Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust. It was installed as part of a strict, on-going process to control the spread of infections and specified by Plymouth Hospital NHS Trust’s Electrical Estates department. Dodd Group, the resident electrical contractor on site, installed the sleek trunking, favoured for its aesthetically pleasing and easy-to-clean curved profile.
The cable management is part of an upgrade to the monitoring system linking essential patient data during an operation – such as blood pressure, pulse, and heart rate – to a central information processing unit. Installed in vertical lengths from floor to ceiling, Odyssey Bio provides an alternative to chasing cabling into walls, a process that can generate undesirable bacteria.
Fears that a trunking system might be a potential dust and dirt trap were quickly dispelled: “We had expected something far heftier but people don’t notice it unless it’s pointed out to them,“ said Paul Cookney for Theatre Estates, Plymouth NHS Trust, about Odyssey Bio. “It has such a low profile with the advantage of no edge. It is a superb product that has provided us with a cheaper and more effective method of managing cables. We are very pleased with it.”
Placing enormous emphasis on quality, safety and the effective care of patients, Plymouth Hospital NHS Trust has been named as one of the 40 top performing trusts in the country for the 6th year running. It provides services to 460,000 people in Plymouth, East Cornwall and South-West Devon, as well as specialist treatment for up to two million people from across Devon, Cornwall and Dorset.
Rob Ellis, Head of Electrical Estates for Plymouth NHS Trust, said: “We have a long working relationship with Marshall-Tufflex and the introduction of Odyssey Bio re-affirms that partnership. It is a product that is likely to come to the fore in the control of infection as Trusts up and down the country tackle the continuing threat of virulent infectious diseases.”
Odyssey Bio is a highly complementary addition to Marshall-Tufflex’s portfolio of cable management systems. Owing to the major contribution it can make to hygiene, it is also expected to be well received in other health conscious environments, such as nursing and care homes, medical centres, dental surgeries, schools and sports complexes, and indeed anywhere where there is a likelihood of cross-infection.
