Hospital Curtains and Infection Control
- Future HealthSpaces
- Sep 13, 2022
- 3 min read
Hospital hygiene has always been a key focus for the NHS, but the recent pandemic triggered changes in hospitals’ infection prevention and control policies. Cubicle curtains are a clinically proven defence mechanism to help prevent hospital-acquired infection and were heavily used in COVID wards. As the NHS recovers from the pandemic, we review the kinds of curtains hospitals are using moving forward.
Cubicle curtains are used in hospitals worldwide to enhance infection control, provide privacy and separate beds whilst maintaining space. Curtains provide better protection against hospital-acquired infections when they are bacteria-free but keeping curtains clean is difficult because they are one of the most frequently touched surfaces in hospitals. If curtains are not cleaned or changed, they pose a high risk of cross-contamination.
Disposable Curtains
Hospital staff, patients and visitors all handle curtains, forcing NHS trusts to launder traditional fabric curtains. Fabric curtains look tired after many wash cycles and suffer from wear and tear, meaning they must be replaced. Washing these fabric curtains contributes to the NHS’ carbon footprint, meaning they are not sustainable.
In recent years, fabric curtains have been phased out by many NHS trusts and single-use disposable curtains have gained popularity. Disposable curtains are well-suited to acute areas where quick curtain changes are required. When changed regularly, disposable curtains provide an exceptional level of infection control.
Most disposable curtains come with a self-auditing label so staff can track when the curtains were last changed and when they need to be changed again. In COVID wards in London hospitals, disposable curtains were reportedly replaced every 15 minutes during the pandemic’s peak. Replacing disposable curtains is quick and easy, meaning they can be changed multiple times within an hour if needed. In comparison, removing, washing and reinstalling traditional curtains is time-consuming and costly.
With the NHS aiming to deliver a net zero health service by 2045, the environmental impact of disposable curtains must be considered. When sourced from the right supplier, disposable curtains are a low-carbon option because they are recyclable and don’t need to be laundered. According to the NHS, disposable curtains are “great for trusts working towards net-zero targets.”
Reusable Curtains
In hospital settings where the risk of infection is lower, reusable curtains are an excellent alternative to disposable curtains. Market-leading reusable curtains are manufactured from polypropylene which inhibits the growth of bacteria.
Reusable curtains feature a wipe-clean material that allows staff to clean the curtain without removing it from the cubicle track, saving considerable time. The non-absorbent material ensures staff can wipe off bodily fluids easily and the curtains will not stain. To prevent hospital-acquired infections, sanatising the curtain should be integrated into the bed cleaning routine to prevent curtain contamination.
Many NHS trusts depend on anti-microbial reusable curtains that are mould, mildew and odour resistant. Switching from fabric curtains to reusable curtains can drastically reduce waste and facilities costs, creating long-term savings. Some healthcare professionals argue that reusable curtains are more sustainable and cost-effective than single-use disposable curtains because they can last for years.
Summary
Overall, both types of curtains support infection control and are eco-friendly alternatives to fabric curtains, helping the NHS work towards its net-zero targets. Reusable curtains may be better suited to some healthcare settings because they last much longer and are cheaper in the long run. In ICUs, acute units and clinical environments that demand a higher level of infection control, disposable curtains are the obvious choice because they carry a low risk of curtain contamination when changed regularly.
Watch the video below from Future HealthSpaces’ partner Yewdale to see how quickly a disposable curtain can be loaded and removed from a cubicle track.
