A sluice room (also known as a ‘dirty’ room or ward utility room) is the designated space in a healthcare facility to dispose of, clean and store patient care items. The exact function of a sluice room varies between facilities but will generally include the following:
- Slop hopper – a ‘dirty’ sink, used to dispose of patient fluids
- Clean sink – a utility sink for rinsing or washing
- Macerator or bedpan washer – for single-contact or reused bedpan processing
- Clinical, offensive and general waste pedal bins
- Shelving and racks – for bedpan storage
- Handwash sink with wall-mounted soap dispenser – a handwashing station for staff
Due to the high volume of offensive and contaminated waste entering the sluice room, strong infection control infrastructure and guidelines are of paramount importance to reduce risks of cross contamination. For more information on how to design a sanitary sluice room, click here.
One of the main risks of cross contamination in sluice rooms is through poor bedpan management processes. This website will provide information on the merits and shortfalls of contemporary single-use and re-use bedpan systems, namely:
- Single-use maceration systems
- Single-use disposal systems
- Re-use washer systems
- Re-use handwashing systems
On this website you can find comparisons on infection control, costs, clinical staff preferences, and machine technology.
