Special environment created

The new technology, developed by Wolverhampton firm BIOCOTE, impregnates standard hospital equipment with silver ions at the point of manufacture. The silver ions remain on the surface of the equipment, inhibiting the growth of superbugs such as MRSA, as well as other bacteria, for the life of the product.

With the help of BioCote technology, the Department of Research and Development at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust has created a clinical environment that benefits from many antimicrobial products. It is the first time in any hospital such a unit has been created to combat superbugs.

The Trust and BioCote have been working in partnership with the aim of improving the environment in which patient care is provided. A key and innovative project has been to develop a new research outpatient facility in which clinical trials can be undertaken and any possible spread of infection reduced.

The BioCote range of products has been tested against a series of bacteria such as MRSA, C-diff, E-coli and Salmonella, where it was found to be 99.9% effective against all tested microbes.