The Smart Solutions for HCAI programme has selected nine products as winners in a competition to find new ways to combat healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs).
The products have been chosen from about 250 applications submitted to the Smart Solutions programme, which is an NHS project aimed at identifying technologies with the potential to fight hospital bugs.
Smart Solutions for HCAI is a national programme run by Trustech, the North West of England NHS Innovation Hub, on behalf of the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) and supported by the NHS National Innovation Centre.
The programme is part of a wider HCAI Technology Innovation Programme and is a joint initiative between the Department of Health and NHS PASA that aims to speed up the development and introduction of new technologies to help combat infections.
About 30 hospitals have applied to host evaluations.
The successful products and the companies behind them are: Airmanager from Quest International (UK), which uses Close Coupled Field Technology (CCFT) to destroy particles in air, including microbes and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
It also reduces airborne odours.
The product is currently used in food, aerospace, agriculture and other sectors where bio-security, bio-integrity and emission controls are paramount.
Formula 429 and Formula 429 plus from Chemspec Europe combine biocides that counter a range of microbes.
The products are alternatives to steam or sodium hypochlorite for deep cleaning and are harmless to humans.
Liquid glass layering technology from Nanopool is a coating technology that protects surfaces such as floorings, glass, metal and stone and is used in food production, hotels and healthcare areas in Germany.
It makes surfaces easy to clean with water and provides long-term anti-bacterial protection.
Medixair from GE Healthcare is a portable ultraviolet air sterilisation device capable of killing airborne microorganisms.
It is already in use in overseas hospitals.
Medmat from Ergomedica is a two-layer mat system that provides a clean, aseptic environment for a variety of clinical procedures.
It separates the clean elements of the procedure from the dirty and encourages good practice, while capturing waste in a sealable bag.
Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) from TwistDx is a test based on RPA technology that allows medical staff to screen patients at the point of care, for example on admission to hospital, and detect those carrying infections within 15 minutes.
The AD (air disinfection unit) from Inov8 Science emits hydroxyl radicals, which destroy pathogens, replicating the way in which the natural environment disinfects the air in open spaces.
This process is self-perpetuating, as the destruction of one pathogen releases more hydroxyl radicals.
Ultraviolet inspection lamps from UV Light Technology can reveal contamination invisible to the naked eye, exposing areas that have been missed during cleaning.
The process is used by forensic scientists for revealing trace evidence.
It can be used to check cleaning procedures, identify problem areas and train staff.
V-Link with Vitalshield protective coating from Baxter Healthcare is an antimicrobial needle-free IV connector.
It kills more than 99.99 per cent of the six most common pathogens that cause catheter-related bloodstream infections, including MRSA.
