The
'Telegraph' reports on a setback for the NHS's new hygene initiative; they are having to remove the alcohol gel dispensers due to theft:
Two hospitals in Staffordshire have decided to remove the dispensers from their wards, with the NHS so concerned about the thefts they have issued a Patient Safety Alert to all hospitals and clinics across the UK.
The reason for the theft?
The cleanser, which has been in the NHS for more than four years and is used to tackle hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA, contains 75 per cent proof alcohol, nearly twice the strength of whisky.
The gel is supposedly undrinkable thanks to the foul tasting chemical additive bitrex but paramedics who have treated patients found with the dispensers say addicts will simply "drink through" the taste.
This will not come as a surprise to anyone reading emergency service blogs, however. Particularly
this one.
"contains 75 per cent proof alcohol, nearly twice the strength of whisky"
ReplyDeleteI think the author is confusing proof with abv. 75 percent proof is around 37% ABV which is about the strength of whisky.
Wouldn't be at all surprised.
ReplyDeleteJournalism these days seems to consist of recycling whatever propaganda handout the government passes down...
on the subject of MRSA, my young (as in less than a year old) nephew was recently in hospital for a heart operation. when asking his mother how he was doing prior to heading down to the hospital to visit, I was told he was fine ... but his burns were bothering him. When I enquired as to how he suffered burns during a heart operation, I was told it's apparently now standard practice, at least in this one hopsital,to pour neat iodine over the site of any surgical incisions or thelike, in an effort to make sure the patient doesnt contract MRSA.
ReplyDeleteOf course, if it then pools and collects in folds of skin and isnt noticed immediately, it takes most of your top layers of skin off and leaves some rather impressive blisters.
Rather drastic I thought, but then I'm not the surgeons who obviously deem this the only effective sanction.
I would however like to thank the doctors and nurses concerned - it did seem to work and certainly the care they gave was top-flight.
The gel is supposedly undrinkable thanks to the foul tasting chemical additiv
ReplyDeleteEXACTLY like whisky then.
Von Brandenburg-Preußen.
'...foul-tasting...'
ReplyDeleteWell, now. If people will drink Foster's, then this should be nectar! lol.
"..Of course, if it then pools and collects in folds of skin and isnt noticed immediately, it takes most of your top layers of skin off.."
ReplyDeleteOw! Talk about the cure being worse (almost) than the disease...
Still, presumably, after the first such incident, they should have been on the lookout for this happening. Shouldn't they..?
"If people will drink Foster's, then this should be nectar! "
But...Fosters doesn't taste - of anything! ;)