HSCA
The HCSA 2021 in Harrogate this year was an event we at Sky Chemicals thoroughly enjoyed attending, with plenty of opportunities to network with people from procurement, business, and international backgrounds. It was a pleasure to be involved and meet everyone who we spoke with at the event.
We thoroughly enjoyed discussing the benefits of using Peracide compared to other conventional disinfectants that are currently being used in trusts, along with learning lots of interesting factors being considered by NHS procurement staff. These benefits included the financial implications of switching from chlorine-based disinfectants to Peracide.
Due to Peracide being based on an in-situ peracetic acid, several components can be added to the formulation to aid in its function. These include corrosion inhibitors, a surfactant, along with mild, hypoallergenic apple perfume. These additional components are heavily restricted when combined with chlorine-based disinfectants such as NADCC tablets or chlorine dioxide, due to their unselective reactivity. This means that the active chlorine will react with both the microbes it is being used against, along with any organic soil or dirt present, the surface it is being used on, and the other components in the formulation. As the chlorine reacts with these other elements when used, it reduces the amount of free chlorine available to react with and kill the microbes present. As such, chlorine-based disinfectants’ efficacy in soiled conditions is greatly reduced, or when used in a formulation containing other components such as surfactants, detergents, and perfumes.
The high reactivity of chlorine-based disinfectants also means that they will react with, and break down surfaces that the solution is used on. This corrosion of surfaces reduces the lifespan of said surfaces and equipment that the disinfectant is being used on, increasing the long-term costs associated with using a chlorine-based disinfectant trust-wide. It also makes using a chlorine-based disinfectant on soft surfaces, such as mattresses and office chairs, a less viable option, as the solution will break down these fabrics rapidly, causing them to need to be replaced much more frequently.
Peracide on the other hand is based on an in-situ peracetic acid, and remains efficacious in both clean and soiled conditions, due to it minimally reacting with other components in the formulation or on-site. Due to this, there is a much greater proportion of free peracetic acid available to react with the microbes, explaining Peracide’s significantly increased efficacy when compared to chlorine-based disinfectants. In addition to this, it also allows for surfactants to be added to the formulation, ensuring that Peracide can be used to perform a one-stage clean as it cleans, disinfectants, and deodorisers in one process. This reduces the need for staff to carry around two sets of products for one job, saving them both time and money.
Furthermore, Peracide can be used safely on both hard and soft surfaces, with the corrosion inhibitors in the formulation greatly minimising damage when compared to chlorine-based disinfectants. This extends the lifespan of expensive hospital equipment such as beds and mattresses, saving healthcare facilities money in the long term. It also allows for a high-level disinfectant to be used on these surfaces, without needing to resort to a low-level disinfectant such as quaternary ammonium or alcohol-based wipe. This ensures a high-level clean can be achieved with a greatly minimised risk of corrosion and prevents the need to purchase a second low-level disinfectant for these areas.
Lastly, Peracide’s innovative colour change system indicating efficacy that I spoke about in my previous blog posts greatly reduces the time required for staff training. With the efficacy being shown via a simple, visual colour change, along with a convenient tablet formulation, staff requires very little training on how to use Peracide, saving both time and money. This high level of efficacy aids trusts in achieving their HCAIs targets annually and reduces the costs associated with managing HCAIs within the trust. For example, in 2016/2017 it was estimated that HCAI cost the NHS £2.1 billion, 99.8% of which was attributed to patient management.
In conclusion, Peracide presents a more sustainable, cost-effective, and simple solution to healthcare disinfectants than chlorine-based products.
The IPS2021 was a fantastic occasion for members of infection control across the UK and internationally to come together to network, chat, and celebrate all of the great work the NHS has done during the pandemic. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting many of you and discussing the importance of high-level disinfectants in a post-pandemic world. We want to thank everyone who attended, and everyone who could not make it for all your hard work.
