By David Meyer, 18 June 2008 08:30
NEWS
The NHS has taken delivery of 7,500 infection-resistant keyboards, which could significantly cut the rates of hospital bugs such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile.
The Medigenic keyboards were designed by a team at University College London Hospital (UCLH), then manufactured by an US company called Esterline and sold back to the NHS by Esterline's UK distributor, Advanced Power Components (APC).
Studies have suggested that computer input devices such as keyboards and mouses play a part in the spread of common hospital infections. Keyboards in hospitals usually have covers but the uneven surface makes it easy for bacteria to escape cleaning. The Medigenic keyboards are completely flat and coated in a "hypoallergenic material resistant to bacterial growth", according to APC.
The UCLH team's research had shown that bacteria levels on keyboards are cut by 70 per cent if the devices are cleaned every 12 hours.
An LED is also incorporated into the Medigenic keyboard, set to flash when the keyboard needs cleaning. The light is also intended to remind hospital staff to wash their hands.
Consultant microbiologist Dr Peter Wilson, one of the doctors at UCLH who designed the keyboard, said: "Doctors and nurses were going from patient to keyboard without washing their hands. That's quite understandable because you would wash your hands between patients but not between a patient and a keyboard."
Wilson also said the new keyboards' design encouraged users to clean them regularly. "Compliance with twice daily cleaning went up from 10-20 per cent with the keyboard covers to 87 per cent with the new model," he said.
Comments
There is 1 comment. Join the discussion
1. anonymous
Yes, and what about germ-resistant mice or the mandatory Secure Smartcard's/readers for user authentication or don't they get mucky.
Totally flat keyboards, will we be hearing in 6 months they have been binned as they cause Repetetive Strain Injury :-)