News
Microfibre Cloths available at NHS Supply Chain
In response to the government's initiative to deep cleaning in hospitals, NHS Supply Chain have done their bit by stocking products to help with the deep cleaning process.
As well as all of Ecolab's currently stocked cleaning and infection prevention products, Business Development Manager Phil Clifton has secured that their range of Microfibre Cloths is now stocked at NHS Supply Chain as well.
Polifix Red MJC029
Polifix Blue MJC028
Polifix Yellow MJC031
Polifix Green MJC030Each cloth is available at £6.02 for 5. This product range is the first from Ecolab's hospitality division to be stocked at NHS Supply Chain, demonstrating the successful joining together of the Healthcare and Hospitality teams that took place last year.
This news further strengthens Ecolab’s aim to work with the NHS to reduce Healthcare Associated Infections and reinforces its position to be the only company to offer solutions in every area of the hospital.
Ecolab sponsors IFIC Conference in Chile
Ecolab are supporting this important infection control conference as premium sponsors.
The International Federation of Infection Control (IFIC) is an umbrella organisation of societies and associations of healthcare professionals in infection control and related fields worldwide. For the first time in its history, IFIC will hold its annual congress in a Latin American country with Santiago in Chile chosen as the host venue. This summit will be held in parallel with the Chilean and Pan American congresses in infection control, making it possible to exchange experiences and information among the different delegates taking part in all these events.
Further information can be found at www.ific2008.cl.
Infection Prevention Nursing Award Winner
Neil Emery, National Sales Manager of Ecolab presented the British Journal of Nursing (BJN) Infection Prevention Award to Kim Shaw an infection control nurse from South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust at the prestigious BJN Awards ceremony in London on May 16th.
Entries were open to individuals or teams, and took the form of a 1,000 word statement as to why the entrant should win the Infection Prevention award. The judges were impressed with the high standard of entries. Competition was fierce and three entries were shortlisted by the BJN Editorial Board.
The judging panel said that “Kim Shaw has put in place rigorous measures to ensure the safety of patients and staff within the South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. Her dedication to developing new and innovative ways to educate the staff has ensured that the trust has an excellent record in infection control.”
The other two short-listed entries were from the Infection Prevention Team, Southampton General Hospital and Sarah Mimmack of the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Birmingham.
This award is especially prestigious due to the relationship the BJN has with the Infection Prevention Society. All members of the IPS received entry forms and the award was made in partnership with the IPS.
Says Kate Cassidy, Marketing Manager at Ecolab Healthcare UK: “This is the 9th year of the British Journal of Nursing Clinical Practice Awards and the first time that Ecolab has become involved. The event is about giving Infection Control Nurse Specialists the recognition they deserve and to reward clinical excellence in an extremely important area of healthcare. The awards highlight the excellent standards of care achieved on a daily basis.”
Stocks of Aquasept have now run out
The well publicised withdrawal of Aquasept from the UK health market creates a potential problem for those responsible for skin decolonization in hospitals.
Last year Ecolab announced the 'straight swap' option for pharmacists and Infection Control Teams, who will now be seeking alternatives as stocks of Aquasept have completely run out. One of our well established brands, Skinsan, is available now as a direct replacement for Aquasept. More importantly, it provides the same level of decontamination without Infection Control teams having to alter codes of practice or retrain staff.
Skinsan is the only alternative skin decolonizer which contains triclosan as its active ingredient. The familar 5 day treatment regime is the same with Skinsan as Aquasept, so staff and patients can adhere to the same familiar useage guidelines (Skinsan passes EN1499, the European benchmark test for antimicrobial efficacy).
For further information, or to place your order, please contact our customer service team on 0113 287 8339, or visit www.skinsan.co.uk.
Launch of United Sales Team
Combining sales teams aims to provide our healthcare customers with a unified and coherent service.
It has become clear over the last few years that our healthcare customers are in need of significant support in the battle against Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs). In order to facilitate this support in the most effective way, the decision was taken to restructure our sales team to provide a single point of contact for the UK and Ireland’s healthcare professionals by combining the sales teams from two divisions. Historically one division has specialised in hospital cleaning the other in hospital disinfection. In the battle against HCAl both need to be managed together.
The new team are working under the stewardship of our newly appointed Sales Manager, Neil Emery. A stalwart of the Institutional Division, the importance of providing the healthcare market with a ‘Powerful Force Against Infection’, meant that only a high achiever like Neil would be suitable for the position.
“Having served Ecolab for many years,” commented Neil, “I am delighted to be given this challenge and opportunity. All acute Trusts are in need of help, both in terms of product and people, and we, as a company, are determined to provide it.”
Divisional Manger, Andy Newsome, added “We have reassessed and rationalised our range, enabling us to provide the single biggest source of infection prevention products in the UK. Our single-minded aim is to reduce HCAIs through effective infection prevention, not only with routine use products but also through special solutions to address specific problems like MRSA, virus risks or C. difficile outbreaks.”
In all four key areas of hygiene - hand, skin, instrument and hard surface - Ecolab are determined to provide practical, innovative solutions both in terms of products, services and training support for healthcare professionals across the UK and Ireland.