Safe Water in Healthcare: A Practical and Clinical Guide

Safe Water in Healthcare: A Practical and Clinical Guide enables users from different disciplines to understand all types of waterborne hazards that can pose a risk to those who might be exposed, the events which cause them to be present, what may precipitate an increase in their levels that may cause harm, and how they can be avoided or managed to reduce risk. The handbook highlights microorganisms that can cause infections, modes of transmission, the infections they cause, and risks. The book's authors draw from their extensive practical experience assisting with day-to-day problems that range from minor issues to outbreaks.

The book includes case studies on the growth of biofilms and where they cause problems in water systems as well as providing practical answers to a majority of issues that arise in healthcare water and drainage systems. This is an accessible handbook that fills the gaps for those without technical knowledge for a complex but important area of infection control. It provides practical guidance for professionals who are required to design, manage and maintain water systems and help them manage associated infection outbreaks.

Dr Jimmy Walker worked as a Scientific Leader in water microbiology and decontamination at Public Health England (PHE), Porton UK. He has 30 years’ experience in public health microbiology with an extensive publication record, and regularly attended national and international scientific conferences. His particular interests were the presence of opportunistic pathogens in hospital water systems and advised hospitals on incidents and outbreaks associated with waterborne pathogens such as Legionella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Mycobacteria spp. He worked closely with the Department of Health (DH England) and Health and Safety Executive in writing and developing national and international guidance on the microbiology of water and decontamination in healthcare.

Dr. Susanne Surman-Lee (PhD) has over 35 years’ experience as Public Health Microbiologist having worked in both in clinical and public health microbiology within the National Health Service, University Sector and Public Health. Until 2010 as Director of the HPA London Food Water & Environmental Microbiology Laboratory (LFWE). Susanne has been involved in developing guidelines as author / editor at national and international level for many years including the WHO Legionella and Prevention of Legionellosis, WHO Water Safety in Buildings and many national and international standards including HSG274, HTM04-01, BS 8580 Legionella Risk Assessment, BS 7592 Legionella Sampling, and chaired BS 8680 Water Safety Plans and BS 8580 part 2 Risk assessment of P. aeruginosa and other waterborne pathogens. Susanne has also been involved in many hospital investigations into waterborne infections nationally and internationally.

Dr. Paul McDermott, (PhD) has significant practical experience in occupational health and safety, specializing in the fields of biosafety and biosecurity, and incidental exposure to biological agents in workplaces. Before setting up PJM-HS Consulting Ltd in 2014, Paul gained 13 years' experience working as a Specialist Inspector in Great Britain's Health and Safety Executive (HSE). His specialist regulatory role in HSE's Biological Agents Unit involved undertaking inspections and audits, and enforcement of health and safety legislation. He has also been instrumental in the production of key national guidance documents in this field, including the review of the current Approved Code of Practice (L8) and its associated technical guidance (HSG274) and CIBSE’s TM13, BS 8580 (2010), BS 8580-1, BS 8580-2 and BS 8680. He has spoken at numerous governmental and industry-led forums and conferences, both nationally and internationally. Paul has a strong reputation in the effective management of waterborne infections, in particular Legionella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Paul has acted as expert witness in numerous legal cases and is Authorising Engineer (Water Safety) at several NHS Trusts.

Dr. Michael Weinbren has been a consultant microbiologist and infection control doctor since 1990. Michael’s interest in water was originally stimulated whilst working at the regional burn centre at Queen Mary's University Hospital Roehampton. Michael was the DIPC at the University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire during the construction of the new hospital which started in 2001 and was completed in August 2006. Within nine months of opening there was a legionella contamination of the water systems and a pseudomonas outbreak on the neonatal intensive care unit originating from water systems. Michael is currently chair of the Healthcare Infection Society working party on water and presents nationally and internationally on different aspects of microbial waterborne pathogens.