Crown Trade’s new Steracryl Anti Bacterial Scrubbable Matt coating – developed to tackle hospital acquired infections such as MRSA and other illness-causing bacteria – has made the grade after successful field trials at Caithness General Hospital.

NHS Highland was one of the very first health trusts in the UK to benefit from using the new system, which utilises the natural power of silver to deliver a high performance hygienic finish, with a long-lasting finish formulation to support maintenance programmes.

Applied in 2009 within the maternity suite, Steracryl Anti Bacterial Scrubbable Matt emulsion has since withstood an intensive cleaning regime to maintain its appearance, durability and resistance to burnishing whilst supporting infection control procedures at the hospital, located in Wick.

The maternity suite was selected for field trials as the delivery rooms are subjected to scrupulous cleaning from floor to ceiling after every single birth takes place.

Despite its sparsely populated location, each week several babies are born at the hospital and the decorative finishes used on the walls need to be resistant to repeated scrubbing with wet cloths and cleaning fluids.

Field trials involved the application of two coats of Steracryl Anti Bacterial Scrubbable Matt within the delivery rooms and adjacent areas.

Eric Green, estates manager for NHS Highland said: “We were very interested in trialling the system and found that after repeated scrubbing with cloths and cleaning fluids, the walls still have their flat matt ‘just painted’ finish and there’s no sign of soiling at all.

“Ideally we’d like to see this type of paint used as widely as possible. It’s not just helping to create a healthier safer environment for patients, staff and visitors – from an economic and practical perspective it’s making the cleaning and maintenance task easier for our staff and helping to extend our redecoration schedules.”

Crown Trade brand manager Debbie Orr said: “We were confident that Steracryl Anti Bacterial Scrubbable Matt would stand up to the cleaning regime at Caithness because it achieved a Class 1 ‘scrub’ rating when tested according to ISO 11998.

“Less than five microns of film thickness were lost after painted panels were subjected to 200 cycles on a scrub test machine, which represents a 400% increase in resistance to wet scrubbing compared to conventional vinyl matt.”

In addition to the scrubbable matt finish, Crown Trade also offers Steracryl Anti Bacterial Durable Acrylic Eggshell.

Available in white and pastel shades, both coatings incorporate SteriTouch® antimicrobial additives, which utilise the natural sterilising properties of silver to reduce the growth of harmful organisms. This same silver ion technology is already used extensively in healthcare environments to provide anti-bacterial protection in mattresses, textiles, wall cladding panels, furniture surfaces, flooring, curtains, door handles, bandages and surgical equipment.

Crown Trade coatings have been independently tested for anti-bacterial efficiency using the internationally recognised JIS Z 2801:2000/ISO 22196:2007 method and provide excellent levels of protection while remaining safe for even the most sensitive applications.