Addressing the Environmental Impact of NHS Curtains: Time for a Radical Rethink
Since the very first NHS hospital was opened by Aneurin Bevan in 1948, curtains have played an essential role in patient privacy within the acute care environment. But the knowledge of their potential to harbour various infectious organisms has grown over the past decade. However, it wasn’t until recently, in the early to mid-2000s, that more focused research has begun to highlight curtains as a noteworthy source of contamination.
Further studies supporting these findings have led to changes in hospital protocols. Including higher frequency in cleaning as well as a move to disposable curtains.
Unexpected implications of the move to disposables
The rise of the disposable curtain has had significant implications for the environment in terms of increased waste, the use of plastics, and the safety of releasing antimicrobial coatings on disposal. Recycling of these products is possible but requires large amounts of energy.
There is also an impact on patient flow. Curtain changing should be done in a way that minimises cross-contamination. Proper procedures therefore take time and involve putting the bed area out of use during changing.
A sustainable approach to patient privacy
A sustainable approach to patient privacy requires a move to long-term rather than short-term thinking. The move to private rooms for patients is a good example of this frame of thinking, however there will always be a requirement for patients to be cared for in shared spaces, such as recovery, ICU, treatment areas, and outpatient treatment areas.
Sustainable curtain designs should meet 5 key principles:
Hygiene
Design that optimises infection prevention and control.Safety
Stable, reliable, and user-friendly products.Durability
Products built to last with a proven long lifetime.Reusability
Products with modular, compatible design, able to be reinstalled.Repairability
Minimal design and materials that allow for easy maintenance locally.
Sustainable alternatives
Some manufacturers, such as Silentia, offer a range of hard surface, folding privacy screens that can be wall-mounted in place of existing curtains. These screens take up little wall space and can be easily and quickly cleaned in situ. Cleaning can be integrated seamlessly with the hospital’s standard cleaning routines, making infection control much easier to manage.
A good quality screen will have a much smaller impact on the environment as it will have a longer lifespan and can be maintained and reused. Silentia screens, for example, have a proven lifetime of over 10 years and have been in continuous use in some hospitals for much longer than that as they are designed to be repaired and reused.
A recent case study in Denmark saw over 100 screens refurbished and moved to the newly built Gødstrup Hospital alongside new screens to make the new facility free from textile patient privacy. Lead project coordinator, Bente Fjordside, said:
“The project must be sustainable and economical, where we recycle as much as possible. It is an important task, and I can feel that there is a great awareness among the employees that we do not throw away well-functioning equipment.”
Silentia is also committed to minimising all aspects of the screen’s carbon footprint including manufacturing and the wider supply chain. Their factory in Sweden already runs on 100% renewable energy from Falkenberg Energi. Beyond this, most of the raw materials are sourced locally in Sweden and Norway.
In the future, Silentia will be producing annual reports to drive its ambitious sustainability goals. They are also looking to further their partnership with hospitals to develop circular initiatives.
Projects with the NHS
Silentia has previously worked to provide NHS Trusts with sustainable screen alternatives, including at Scotland’s Jubilee National Hospital where 157 screens were provided.
Pull-around curtains were previously used to screen off the door for privacy while doctors or nursing staff were in attendance or visitors were present at the hospital. Yet the curtains presented their own problems, as senior manager of infection prevention and control Robert Gray told Hospital Bulletin: “We were looking for an alternative to curtains, something easy to clean and that would reduce laundry costs.”
“With curtains you’ve got the hassle of removing them and the cost of cleaning. Before, we had three different sizes of curtains per ward and spares.”
Enter Silentia screens - a highly flexible alternative that gives privacy and dignity, with an easy to clean and highly manoeuvrable solution.
“Patients are amazed at the level of cleanliness. We’re almost spoilt to be working here”, added Anne. Some patients like to watch TV late at night. The screens help to keep the noise down. The cleaning teams at Golden Jubilee National Hospital report to infection prevention and control. Housekeeper Mary Filshie explained: “I’ve been at the hospital for ten years and only work on this ward. If the curtains were dirty or had stains, we had to get a porter to take them down, replace them with another curtain, and take the soiled one to the laundry for cleaning. So, it could delay the use of the room and take the porter away from their duties. Now we have the screens we don’t have to get in touch with the porters”
Sustainability with Silentia
If you’re looking for a clean and more sustainable solution to disposable curtains, you can find out more about Silentia’s solutions on their website.