WE NEED TO CLEAN OUR CRUTCHES
Issued : Tuesday 17 August, 2010
"A simple sterilising wipe that costs as little 30 cent could save the health service tens of millions of euro.
"The HSE spent over €68 million on wheelchairs, crutches and walking aids last year and sets aside another €20 million for sterilising aids and equipment.
"Despite this, it is HSE policy not to reissue this equipment after its first use. It claims it could be sued if faulty or non-sterile equipment is issued which then causes infection or accident.
"However there are disinfectant wipes on the market that eliminate major infections like C difficile, E Coli and MRSA from hard surfaces such as mobility aids.
"And almost any medical professional can tell by simple testing whether such basic equipment is fit for purpose. In fact, the walking aids regularly issued by the HSE are specifically designed for reuse – single-use items carry a warning label.
"It is standard practice in Australia to reuse mobility aids and in the UK a collection and drop-off system for mobility aids is used.
"It would appear that despite having thousands of administrators who don’t know what their job should be, no-one at the HSE can be bothered to organise simple practices that could save tens of millions."
