Sodexo Launches Infection Prevention Programme for Hospitals

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• Sodexo Launches Infection Prevention Programme for Hospitals

06 September 2021 | Updated 09 September 2021

With an aim to reducing preventable infections in hospital settings, Sodexo is launching Protecta, an evidence-based infection prevention approach.

Figures show that every year around 834,000 people acquire a preventable infection whilst in hospital and at least 12.5 per cent of patients admitted for non-COVID-19 conditions are suspected of contracting the disease while in hospital in England.

The new environment, cleaning and decontamination (ECD) programme will support infection prevention practitioners to tackle the spread of healthcare-acquired infections (HCAIs).

Sodexo's proposition claims to "go beyond simply ensuring surfaces are visibly clean", including Protecta+, which offers HPV and UVC decontamination and robotic technology.

Supporting FM Staff to Stop HCAIs

With the added pressure put on the NHS as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital infection prevention teams are working hard to prevent HCAIs, which lead to delayed discharges and increased costs.

Examples of HCAIs include Norovirus, MRSA and C.Difficile. In the USA, the Protecta programme has been proven to reduce C.Difficile by 53 per cent and MRSA by 70 per cent and eliminate COVID-19 from surfaces

A wide range of equipment and technologies will come as standard with Sodexo’s Protecta range which has been selected as being best for the purpose for the infection risk of each hospital environment. Investment is also being made into a new Protecta Training Academy which will provide industry-leading specialist infection prevention training and development pathway for Sodexo’s frontline teams.

Centres of Excellence hospital sites will also be created to work on trialling new cleaning solutions and their impact, these sites will have the opportunity to deploy some of the most advanced technologies available.

Infection Prevention

Lauren Kyle, Head of Cleaning for Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: “Sodexo is passionate about helping to prevent HCAIs and achieving positive patient outcomes through training, continual innovation and correct procedures to create efficiencies in patient care and wellbeing.

“Providing a clean and safe environment for patients and staff and improving everyday outcomes has never been more important. The pandemic has raised awareness of the critical role cleaning professionals have in helping to keep healthcare settings safe and clean. The introduction of Protecta further supports this through a consistent outcome focussed cleaning service which uses clinical science and experience to deploy relevant products and practices appropriate to each healthcare setting”. 

Simon Lilley, Healthcare Director of Strategy & Marketing, Sodexo UK & Ireland, added: “We understand that HCAIs have a direct impact not only on patient flow, but also patient experience. Going forward we will be working with our acute provider partners to focus on improving outcomes for patients. Protecta is one example of our intention to work with science and data, to implement the right solutions for each area of a hospital-based on risk of infection.

“The product range will be constantly developing as a result of relationships we have with the world’s leading suppliers, our expert partners in the UK, the Infection Prevention Society, plus best practice sharing and innovation from Sodexo infection prevention teams globally each and every day.”

Picture: a photograph of two healthcare workers wearing surgical scrubs. One person is adjusting a light in a surgical theatre

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 06 September 2021

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