The localised disinfection process in healthcare

Following persistent positive results for pseudomonas aeruginosa during routine sampling carried out for an NHS Foundation Trust, W.E.T was asked to scope, implement and conduct localised disinfections of the identified areas to minimise disruptions to the hospital’s wider water systems which are critical to the hospital’s function.

W.E.T’s compliance manager reviewed the Water Safety Plan and consulted with the Trust’s Authorised Engineers to provide a detailed and compliant scope for the upcoming works, for which RAMS were created and sent for approval.

W.E.T’s technicians installed isolation valves and injection points which were dip-disinfected to ensure all parts were hygienic prior to install, silver stabilised hydrogen peroxide solution (H202) was injected into localised areas to disinfect the outlet and pipework. At the same time any strainers/TMVs were removed from the system and cleaned.

Upon completion all unnecessary connections were removed to ensure no deadlegs were left and further sampling as per the Trust’s water safety plan was carried out to prove the efficacy of the works undertaken.

This ultimately resulted in the effective eradication of positive readings with minimal disruption to the day to day running of the hospital.