Articles and preparations for oral or dental hygiene

Tender description

The purpose of this PIN is to launch a period of market consultation and invite expressions of interest on some or all of the areas of interest. Suppliers wishing to express an interest in the PIN should respond with any relevant information and/or requests via the e-mail address: Innovation.Procurement@nuh.nhs.uk Please submit your response by 31.8.2016. Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has identified and number of issues related to different activities in the clinical environment. Solving these issues is important for the Trust in its ongoing duty to improve patient experience, efficiencies and reduce running costs. The Trust believes the current products and services available in the market either don't recognise or don't address the problem properly. The Trust wants to raise awareness of these issues among the supply chain and indicate its intention to procure workable solutions that meet its requirements. The Trust then wants to challenge different sections of the supply chain to address 1 or more of these challenges, as these unmet needs are recognised to be applicable to all NHS organisations: 1. Mouth care solutions for patients in hospital Unmet need: Solutions to enable effective mouth care of patients for use by nurses, carers and patients to maintain the mouth of patients in good oral condition that is comfortable, clean, moist and free of infection. Nurses and care staff have a vital role in promoting good oral health and hygiene, preventing oral discomfort and inadequate fluid intake and nutrition, and helping to improve outcomes for patients. Supporting and enabling good mouth care for these patients is an integral part of nursing practice and is imperative in reducing the risk of Health Care Associated Infection and improving patient comfort and experience. There are a wide range of patients that need special assistance with mouth care and hygiene. This includes those approaching end of life, recovering from operations, receiving chemo or radio therapy, intubated patients or those on high-flow oxygen therapy or are otherwise critically ill and NBM. Such patients often have dry lips and mouths and suffer from mouth ulcers, inflammation, and are at a higher risk of mouth infections such as oral thrush. Some are also unable to mechanically remove dental plaque, maintain good oral hygiene and hence mouth care requires the help of nursing staff or carers. Problems with mouth care and hygiene causes secondary infections, pain, discomfort and can inhibit the intake of food and fluids. Oral care is also seen as an important preventative measure against respiratory infections such as ventilator acquired pneumonia (VAP). ‘Good mouth care increases the comfort and well-being for the patient at a difficult time in their lives and helps to avoid secondary or longer-term conditions from developing that make eating or drinking difficult’. The tool usually adopted for moistening lips and mouth for some time was the ‘lollipop’ sponge but this type of solution was often inappropriately used and has been associated with infection risks and in some cases serious harm to patients, including choking. This type of solution has therefore fallen out of use and new solutions fail to meet the needs of patients. The mouth care tools currently used by nursing staff vary and include simple gauze swabs held with clamps and moistened prior to use, some mouth sponges similar to the previously described lollipop sponges (with different bonding) and silicone bristled swabs. It has also become the practice in some areas to use small headed ‘baby’ toothbrushes. There is an unmet need for effective tools that support the delivery of mouth care in hospital and care homes. The solution(s) should enable nursing staff to maintain the mouth in a good oral condition that is comfortable, clean, moist and free of infection, specifically: — Facilitate nurses to undertake or enable patients to undertake daily mouth care or more frequently as indicated/required. — Where appropriate, facilitate the giving of mouth care by other carer or the patient themselves. — Provide an effective, hygienic and safe means to moisten a patients mouth and lips. — Support the prevention and treatment of mouth inflammation, ulcers and infections. — Help to prevent mouth problems from developing, or minor problems from getting worse. — Is cost effective in use and environmentally sustainable across product life cycle. — A bedside holder for toothbrush or swab handle to enable effective drying and reduce bacteria. A related problem is the care of dentures while in hospital. Lost dentures are a serious problem for patients. Many elderly or confused patients find it difficult (if not impossible) to cope with new dentures if their old ones have been lost. It is essential that dentures are kept safe when patients are in hospital. Is there a cost effective solution that would support the care and safekeeping of dentures?