Designing out bugs could earn £25,000

. Organised by the Department of Health, NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency and the Design Council, these are: (1) To design a new product and/or service or system to improve the hand hygiene of hospital staff, patients and visitors. (2) To design a specific item of bedside furniture such as a chair, table, locker, personal storage system or isolation furniture, or a complete bedside system that is easy to clean and maintain, cost effective and sustainable. (3) Design a commode that is easy to clean and enhances usability (4) Design a means of patient transport such as a trolley/stretcher or porter’s chair that is easy to clean and will reduce the potential for the spread of HCAIs. (5) Open brief: to design a piece of equipment, furniture or system that directly or indirectly reduces the spread of common HCAIs in the healthcare environment. Submissions, to include credentials, case studies and a written 800 word statement of intent, will be judged by a panel of specialists to be chaired by Richard Seymour, the creative director of Seymour Powell. Five teams will then each receive £25,000 inclusive of VAT to cover research and design. In April 2009, prototypes by the five teams will be nationally showcased at seven NHS hospitals around the UK. The closing date for submissions is October 10th 2008. More information from: The Design Council