Robots used to decontaminate hospital wards

Robot cleaners have been used to decontaminate wards and operating theatres at a hospital in North Yorkshire.

The two robots have been put into action at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, with staff programming them to navigate and clean rooms to help with infection control.

It was the first hospital in the UK to use the Akara UV decontamination units in a ward environment after positive initial trial results, according to the hospital.

A spokesperson from the Friends of the Friarage, which funded the introduction of the robots, said they added "a scientific aspect to the excellent work of the domestic team".

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Friarage, said environmental services teams at the hospital were being trained how to programme the robot and work alongside it.

James Dunbar, consultant in infection and general medicine, as well as chair of the Friarage Clinical Collaborative, said: "Microbes with resistance to antibiotics are probably the biggest emerging challenge in healthcare today.

"Our main defence is cleaning and decontamination. Last year, our pilot study had amazing results."

Mr Dunbar added that it was "massively exciting to work with absolutely cutting-edge robotic decontamination units and be right at the forefront of innovation".

Susan Watson, co-chair of Friends of the Friarage, said: "We are proud to have been able to bring to the Friarage Hospital this transformative cleaning equipment which will add a scientific aspect to the excellent work of the domestic team."

"We are so grateful to the public for enabling us to fund this innovative and highly successful approach to dealing with infection," she said.

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