Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has adopted best practice in infection prevention by installing Vernacare’s Vortex pulp disposal units.
The trust evaluated Vernacare’s Vortex machines in 2012 at its Queen’s Hospital site. The evaluation demonstrated an improvement in the flow to the drains, as the pulp breaks down into a fine watery slurry as it is discharged in the waste water.
Steven Harding, lead nurse for infection prevention and control at the trust, said: “When we introduced Vernacare’s pulp wash bowls to Queen’s Hospital, we evaluated the Vortex pulp disposal unit and noted there was a marked improvement in reliability – resulting in far fewer blockages. The machines ensure that waste is properly pulped and discharged, which means they do the job properly and can dispose of human waste in a clean, safe and efficient manner. The ‘hands free’ functionality of the Vortex is also appealing from an infection prevention perspective.”
Vernacare has recently introduced a software upgrade to all its new and existing Vortex units. This provides the option to auto-start the system, without the need to press the start button. The auto-start feature helps keep drains clear by reducing the pulp-to-water ratio and aids the flow through the drains by preventing multiple pulp items ‘stacking up’ in the machine. By removing repeated contact with the start button the risk of cross-contamination is minimised.
