A skin antiseptic system from the United States that aids in the prevention of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) will become widely available in the UK later this year after being granted a licence by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA).
Cathy Hartley-Jones, clinical nurse specialist in long-term central vascular access said: “I have seen at first hand the difference this revolutionary system can make in the fight against healthcareassociated infections, such as MRSA.
The non-touch system has allowed our nurses to prepare patients for catheter insertions without touching their skin directly. “ChloraPrep contains 2% chlorhexidine gluconate and 70% isopropyl alcohol – a much more effective antiseptic solution than currently used in the UK and one that has been used to help dramatically cut infections in the US. This is fantastic news for those of us on the frontline in the fight against hospital acquired infections.”
Bacteria on the skin is a primary source of catheter-related infections, one of the major causes of HCAIs. The National Audit Office estimates that there are 5,000 deaths a year from healthcare-associated infections. According to the Department of Health, the average catheter-related bloodstream infection costs over £6,200, and HCAIs cost the National Health Service more than £1 billion annually.
ChloraPrep is the only skin antiseptic product to contain 2% chlorhexidine gluconate and 70% isopropyl alcohol, a solution widely recognised as the goldstandard of skin preparations. Current UK practice is to use a weaker 0.5% chlorhexidine solution, alcohol alone, or a traditional iodine-based solution, states Enturia.
