BD launches sharps injury compliance website
MedTech company helps trusts meet EU legislation aimed at curbing needlestick injuries
With less than a year to go until a new European directive comes into force aimed at tackling the issue of sharps injuries, a leading MedTech company has launched a website to help healthcare organisations prepare for the legislation.
The portal, unveiled by Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), is designed to help trusts improve worker safety and comply with impending legislation on sharps injury prevention.
Every day, healthcare workers across Europe are at risk of sharps injuries, which can result in possible infection from 30 potentially dangerous blood-borne pathogens, including Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. The issue a serious occupational hazard faced by healthcare workers, with an estimated one million incidents occurring in the European Union each year, and more than 100,000 every year in the UK alone.
Forward-thinking healthcare organisations across Europe have already realised the benefit of introducing safer working practices before the mandatory deadline of 11 May 2013, and have acted early by procuring safer needles and catheters. But others are yet to take any action.
Kim Sunley, senior employment relations advisor at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said: “The RCN played a key role in calling for the EU Directive, which presents us with a great opportunity to lead the way, and there’s no reason why hospitals in the UK can’t set the standard. Working alongside BD has helped to reflect the importance of the nursing voice as we try to reduce the risk of sharps injuries. By working together with healthcare professionals and management, we can create a culture of safety for all nursing staff.”
The EU Directive on sharps injury prevention provides a much-needed opportunity to establish a mandatory framework for eliminating sharps injuries, and must be incorporated into national law in all EU member states by the deadline date. BD’s new safety website is designed to help healthcare workers and their organisations comply with this new legislation.
Alexandre Conroy, president of BD in western Europe, said: “BD is committed to raising awareness of the everyday risks faced by healthcare workers, and the precautions they can adopt to improve safety. We hope that this new website will become an important portal for the provision of information, guidance and best practice in the industry.”
The website also provides an overview of BD’s newly-launched healthcare worker safety programme which includes health economics, risk assessment, conversion management and training. The site also includes an overview of BD’s range of safety-engineered medical devices, as well as further useful resources.
Click here to visit the site