Our continually growing and changing society is placing profound and unprecedented demand on the UK’s healthcare system.
By 2030 England’s population is predicted to reach 60.5 million, while the number of people aged over 75 will have grown by more than 50% compared with today’s figure.
Figures from the World Health Organization suggest more than 5,000 people lose their lives to healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) in England and Wales every year. The scale of tackling this growing issue is huge, and in England alone it already costs the NHS an estimated £1 billion a year. Unfortunately, HCAIs from waterborne bacteria such as Legionella and Pseudomonas are on the rise in our hospitals, with cases of Pseudomonas infection in healthcare environments averaging between 3,500 and 4,000 a year. Effective water system design and management is therefore recognised as a serious concern for every type of healthcare practice.
So says Reliance Water Controls; its innovations include thermostatic temperature and water flow controls, taps, and showers, which meet the stringent safety, hygiene, and maintenance demands necessary to control and prevent the risk of infection. The company said: “Our products are used in and by some of the country’s leading healthcare facilities and healthcare providers, such as the new Alder Hey in the Park Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Not only is the technology in our TMV3 taps and showers established and proven to guard against burning and scalding incidents, but our one-piece thermostatic cartridge makes clinical maintenance quick and simple, minimising the risk of mistakes, damage, and downtime.”
Reliance Worldwide Corporation (UK) Ltd Worcester Road Evesham Worcestershire WR11 4RA Tel: 01386 712400 www.rwc.co.uk
