A Derbyshire manufacturer has come up with a design for a reusable surgical gown for frontline hospital staff, reducing the need for disposable gowns across the NHS.
Since the Covid-19 outbreak, David Nieper has switched production at its Alfreton factory from making ladies fashions to producing scrubs for hospital staff.
The firm’s design team has also been looking at ways to create reusable gowns.
Now, working in partnership with The University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, David Nieper has created a prototype, which it claims can be laundered by the hospital, then safely re-used 100 times by doctors and nurses on Covid-19 wards.
Christopher Nieper, chief executive at David Nieper, said: “We’re delighted that our doctors and nurses will benefit from our reusable gowns.
“We have enough fabric to make 12,500 gowns. If these are washed 100 times they could potentially save the NHS buying 1.25 million disposable gowns.
“We offered our suggestion of a reusable gown in this exact fabric four weeks ago.
“It’s a great pity the company responsible for procurement of gowns didn’t grasp the potential of reusable equipment and has shown no interest in our British manufacturing capacity.
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“Meanwhile, the local university hospital trust in Derby has helped develop the prototype, approved the design and placed an order.”
The gown is made from clinical barrier fabric which still meets the European Standard EN13795 for the prevention of transmission of infective agents, even after 100 washes at 73°C.
The “parachute” design of the gown also means that the wearer can safely disrobe and avoid contamination following their shift.
Traditional surgical gowns are fastened at the back, which requires the wearer to reach over the face and head to loosen the ties.
David Nieper’s gown has been designed with parachute ties at the front of the shoulder, so can be easily unfastened to avoid contamination risk of the wearers face.
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The gown is removed inside out so that germs are trapped inside and the design also allows the wearer to disrobe without assistance.
Andrew McClaren, deputy medical director at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “These gowns would obviously be helpful in the short term as the procurement team in the trust battles daily to obtain the numbers of disposable gowns we need.
“But as it seems likely that precautions will be needed in the longer term, a more robust supply of reusable gowns makes a lot of sense and would provide huge reassurance to our staff.”