IPC Challenges and Solutions - Waterborne Infections

by Daniel Pitcher, on 29-09-2021
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The Healthcare Infection Society hosted a webinar in September 2021, as part of their ‘IPC challenges and solutions – audience lead webinar series’, and we were delighted to be asked to sit on their panel of experts.

The event was a great success and we are delighted to be able to share with you a recording of the session.

Questions raised during the webinar included:

  • What are the formal definitions for 'little use' of an outlet? And how many of our individual patient rooms in a hospital are likely to represent these?

  • Is it possible to permanently eliminate Legionella and Pseudomonas from a water system? (without eliminating the water itself)

  • Do you believe that quantitative PCR is a useful tool for Legionella water testing, particularly in a public health/hospital laboratory setting?

  • Has the response to the Covid-19 pandemic impacted water safety and if so, how? 

  • What, if any, formal communication do we need to start putting out to the elderly, immunocompromised and vulnerable patients about potential risks our non-sterile healthcare water?

  • Point of use filters are described as a temporary control measure - what happens when a hospital has to utilize a long term / permanent measure?

  • Do you think waterless ITU's are the way forward? 

 

The questions above were answered by the Panel Members:

  • Teresa Inkster, Consultant Medical Microbiologist, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde;
  • Daniel Pitcher, Managing Director, Water Hygiene Centre;
  • Jimmy Walker, Independent Microbiological and Decontamination Consultant, Walker on Water;
  • Mike Weinbren, Consultant Medical Microbiologist, NHS Scotland Assure and King's Mill NHS Trust.

If you have questions or you would like to speak with one of our consultants, please click here to get in touch.

Editor’s Note: The information provided by the Water Hygiene Centre in this video is correct at the original publication date – September 2021.


© Water Hygiene Centre 2021

About the author

Daniel Pitcher

With over 21 years of independent consulting experience, Daniel established the Water Hygiene Centre in February 2009 to be a ‘centre of excellence’ dedicated to independent water safety consultancy. His experience spans auditing, training, development of Water Safety Plans, incident investigations, competent help support and acting as Authorising Engineer [Water] [AEW] for NHS Trusts, Health Boards, Local Government, Universities and Housing Associations.

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