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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Flat keyboard 'could reduce MRSA' | Flat keyboard 'could reduce MRSA' |
| (4 days later) | |
| A hospital has developed a computer keyboard which it says could cut cases of the MRSA superbug by 10%. | A hospital has developed a computer keyboard which it says could cut cases of the MRSA superbug by 10%. |
| Research shows as many as 25% of keyboards carry MRSA - one of a number of hospital-acquired infections which kill 5,000 people each year in the UK. | Research shows as many as 25% of keyboards carry MRSA - one of a number of hospital-acquired infections which kill 5,000 people each year in the UK. |
| Plastic keyboard covers are often used but these can be hard to clean. | Plastic keyboard covers are often used but these can be hard to clean. |
| The University College London Hospitals NHS Trust keyboard is flat and so easy to clean - and is coated in silicone to help ward off bacteria. | The University College London Hospitals NHS Trust keyboard is flat and so easy to clean - and is coated in silicone to help ward off bacteria. |
| The trust is starting to install them and if they prove successful the rest of the NHS may follow. | The trust is starting to install them and if they prove successful the rest of the NHS may follow. |
| What we have to do is try and interrupt the transmission of MRSA, which is mainly by touch Mark Enright, MRSA expert | What we have to do is try and interrupt the transmission of MRSA, which is mainly by touch Mark Enright, MRSA expert |
| The keyboard is just one of a number of ideas NHS officials have been considering, including silver-coated catheters and a system of cleaning wards using hydrogen peroxide vapour. | The keyboard is just one of a number of ideas NHS officials have been considering, including silver-coated catheters and a system of cleaning wards using hydrogen peroxide vapour. |
| Trusts have been told to halve MRSA rates by 2008. The overall figures are falling but some hospitals are struggling to make progress. | Trusts have been told to halve MRSA rates by 2008. The overall figures are falling but some hospitals are struggling to make progress. |
| Duncan Burton, the modern matron in charge of infection control at UCL, said: "They're flat, they're very easy to clean with alcohol wipes, it makes it much quicker for nurses to clean them and nurses are responsible for cleaning keyboards in the clinical areas. | Duncan Burton, the modern matron in charge of infection control at UCL, said: "They're flat, they're very easy to clean with alcohol wipes, it makes it much quicker for nurses to clean them and nurses are responsible for cleaning keyboards in the clinical areas. |
| "So it's much more efficient to have a flat keyboard which is easy to clean and also has an automatic reminder light to remind staff to clean them." | "So it's much more efficient to have a flat keyboard which is easy to clean and also has an automatic reminder light to remind staff to clean them." |
| Researchers at the trust say cleaning the keyboards just twice a day cuts bacteria by 70%. | Researchers at the trust say cleaning the keyboards just twice a day cuts bacteria by 70%. |
| Dr Peter Wilson, the consultant microbiologist who came up with the idea for the keyboards, said: "The numbers of keyboards are going to rise astronomically in the next few years. | Dr Peter Wilson, the consultant microbiologist who came up with the idea for the keyboards, said: "The numbers of keyboards are going to rise astronomically in the next few years. |
| "We're going for electronic patient records. That means that everything that used to be on the chart at the end of the bed will be now put into the keyboard. | "We're going for electronic patient records. That means that everything that used to be on the chart at the end of the bed will be now put into the keyboard. |
| "And so there is a risk that if transmission is occurring between patients via keyboards, this is going to be doubled, trebled, quadrupled in the near future." | "And so there is a risk that if transmission is occurring between patients via keyboards, this is going to be doubled, trebled, quadrupled in the near future." |
| Mark Enright, a leading researcher on superbugs from Imperial College London, said the best solution was to identify and isolate infected patients but that high bed-occupancy rates in the NHS made that difficult. | Mark Enright, a leading researcher on superbugs from Imperial College London, said the best solution was to identify and isolate infected patients but that high bed-occupancy rates in the NHS made that difficult. |
| He believes the new keyboards could help. | He believes the new keyboards could help. |
| "What we have to do is try to interrupt the transmission of MRSA, which is mainly by touch. | "What we have to do is try to interrupt the transmission of MRSA, which is mainly by touch. |
| "Things like keyboards that are being rolled out into the NHS - if we can stop transmission of MRSA and other organisms from keyboard touching that would help. It's obviously going to be a positive step." | "Things like keyboards that are being rolled out into the NHS - if we can stop transmission of MRSA and other organisms from keyboard touching that would help. It's obviously going to be a positive step." |