Yorkshire teaching Trust achieves SSI reductions

Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) remain one of the most common forms of healthcare-acquired infection (HCAI), affecting roughly one in every 20 surgical patients in the NHS. Their impact is profound: physical and emotional harm for patients, potentially weeks of additional hospital care, prolonged antibiotic use, and a significant financial burden — up to £100,000 per case, contributing to more than £2 billion in annual costs for NHS England.

In April 2024, following a feasibility phase at the Orthopaedic Centre of Excellence at Pontefract Hospital, the Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust (MYT) implemented Steriwave, a nasal photodisinfection technology designed to rapidly eliminate harmful microbes in the nasal passages of patients prior to surgery. Working in partnership with Health Innovation Yorkshire and Humber and the York Health Economics Consortium (YHEC), the Trust deployed Steriwave in conjunction with the standard of care for elective hip and knee patients at Pontefract and Pinderfields hospitals. The goal was to reduce SSIs, test the technology in real-world conditions, evaluate its health-economic impact, and understand both patient and staff experience.

Across elective hip surgeries, SSI rates decreased significantly — by over 71% overall — and reduced to zero in knee replacement patients. Simultaneously, economic modelling from YHEC indicates that Steriwave could provide substantial financial savings across various surgical specialties and may be among the most promising emerging tools in the fight against healthcare-associated infection and antimicrobial resistance.