Hospital Corridor To Be Carpeted

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31123, 28 July 1966, Page 20

Hospital Corridor To Be Carpeted

Carpet is to replace linoleum in the corridor of one modern ward at Christchurch Hospital for a trial period. Dr. L. C. L. Averill, chairman of the North Canterbury Hospital Board, said yesterday that this was the first time the board had tried carpet.

Use of carpet was increasing for hospital nurses' homes, lounges and foyers, said Dr. L. McH. Berry, the board’s medical superintend-ent-in-chief. Overseas whole hospitals were floored with carpet, with the exception of theatres and intensive care units. He said carpet was just as clean as linoleum, and, although it cost more, it was easier to clean. The problem of staining and soiling could be overcome by treating woollen carpets with silicone which repelled dirt. Dr. Berry said carpet would mean a great saving in noise, comfort and warmth. There would probably be no fewer falls by patients on car-

pets, but there would be less injury. Elderly patients learning to walk again lacked confidence on linoleum. In foyers, carpets ensured that visitors left much of the dirt on their shoes behind, instead of tracking it into the wards, Dr. Berry said, and he hoped to see all foyers and ward corridors in the hospital carpeted. "This will be good news for the many people who are nervous of hospital corridors,” said Mrs W. S. Mac Gibbon. Dr. Averill said overseas studies showed that there was no greater danger of infection lurking in carpets. This had been thoroughly investigated.