Tecomak offer a complete range of services for Patient Isolation Rooms including;

  • Annual HTM Verification
  • HEPA Filter replacement and DOP Integrity Testing
  • Biological Decontamination
  • Facility upgrade and refurbishment
  • Pressure monitoring alarm systems
  • Nurse Station Alarm Systems

Health Building Note 04-01 Supplement 1 ‘Isolation facilities for infectious patients in acute settings’ was published in 2013 and is the latest in a series of ‘best practice’ guidance for the NHS written by the Department of Health. The documents part superseded HBN 04-01 Supplement 1 (2005), with regards rooms used for source isolation but not for the guidance on protective isolation.

HBM 04-01 (2013) can be used for both new-build schemes and the upgrade of existing facilities.

The guidance document describes:

  • How single-bed rooms with en-suite facilities can be used to provide isolation for patients with non-airborne diseases;
  • How a ventilated single-bed room with en-suite facilities can provide an isolation room for patients who have an infection that can be spread by the airborne route.
Options for Provision:

The two options available are single bed rooms

  • A room with negative pressure ventilation
  • A room neutral pressure room with a positive pressure ventilated lobby (PPVL)
Ventilation Requirements:

Negative Pressure Rooms

PPVL

General Strategy: The inflow of air into the room (negative pressure) prevents the escape of contaminated air to the surrounding areas and the ventilation in the room dilutes the airborne pathogens. The mechanical air supply is delivered to the Lobby and the extract system removes air from the en-suite. The Lobby is pressurised (positive pressure) to both the patient room and the outer corridor to provide a barrier, prevent contaminated air escapes from the patient’s room and air from the corridor entering the patient’s room.
Air Change Rates: The patient’s room should have at least 10 air changes per hour (mechanical air supply).

The en-suite facility is to have at least 10 air changes per hour via extract.

Room Differential Pressures: There must be a negative pressure cascade from the corridor to the patient room.

The pressure to surrounding areas should be greater than 5 Pascal’s.

The entry lobby should have a positive pressure of between 8 and 12 Pascal’s with respect to the corridor.

The en-suite must be at a negative pressure with respect to the patient’s room

Other Key Requirements: A failure of either the supply or extract fan will be indicated at a designated nurse station and the estates department.

As a minimum requirement, the air permeability should be no worse than that required by Approved Document L2A of the Building Regulations for the entire building. (This is a variable value with a minimum required air permeability of less than 10 m3/hr per m2 at a reference pressure of 50 Pascal’s.)