Gainsborough Specialist Bathrooms and BioCote – synergising to deliver hygiene innovation

Exacerbated by Covid-19, the control of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) continues to be a major challenge for care homes and hospitals.

This involves a combination of infection prevention strategies which need to include safe and innovative bathroom and wet room equipment. Without the right antimicrobial baths and bathroom fixtures, microbes can thrive leading to bather and carer contamination. Equally the design and quality of equipment is critical, so cleaning is effective and surface integrity is maintained. This is where Gainsborough’s baths and G360 bathrooms are proven to deliver an effective, holistic approach to world-class hygiene through BioCote integration.

Infection control legislation

The introduction of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and the Care Quality Commission led to health and social care establishments implementing strategies aimed at breaking the chain of cross-contamination between sources of harmful bacteria and patients. Nevertheless, today Covid-19 represents an ongoing challenge for care homes with more stringent measures required. Therefore specialist bathrooms from Gainsborough are now regarded as even more care critical through the delivery of more effective hygiene management and inbuilt antimicrobial BioCote.

BioCote protected

Gainsborough Specialist Bathrooms are the only specialist UK bath manufacturer capable of providing a world-leading level of integrated hygiene control. BioCote is a silver-ion additive which is included during the bath manufacturing process and provides up to 99.9% 24/7 protection against an array of microbes. These including influenza A H1N1, E.coli, Salmonella and CRO, CRE, VRE and MRSA.

As it is integrated into composite materials, BioCote cannot be wiped or worn away – hence provides continual risk reduction of bacteria, mould and some viruses. With the possibility of new pandemics in the not-so-distant future, the need for bathroom products that limit pathogen growth is now super-critical for care environments. 

Antimicrobial baths

From a product point of view all Gainsborough baths, including the flagship powered hi-lo Gentona and reclining Sentes, are supplied with BioCote as standard. BioCote is a pioneering, invisible solution that requires zero maintenance or extra specialist fluids – representing a cost-effective and sustainable solution.