Wexham Park Hospital Removes Sinks to Cut Superbug Infections

• Wexham Park Hospital in the UK is removing sinks from wards, including ICUs, to combat hospital-acquired infections.
• The "water-safe" model aims to eliminate sinks as reservoirs for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (superbugs) like CPEs.
• This strategy was adopted after an increase in CPE cases, with early results showing a significant reduction in hospital-acquired infections.
• Staff now primarily use hand sanitizers and wipes, adjusting to new water-free hygiene protocols.
• The approach is inspired by practices in the Netherlands and Germany, suggesting that water in clinical settings can pose more risks than benefits due to bacterial biofilms in plumbing.

Why It Matters: UK hospital removes sinks to combat superbugs, setting a new hygiene standard.