NHS England and Improvement has issued a patient safety alert applicable to all healthcare organisations that routinely use superabsorbent polymer gel granules. Although the alert relates to products used in patient care, there are also requirements covering these products in non-patient use.
A previous safety alert in 2017 warned of the risk of asphyxiation associated with superabsorbent polymer gel granules after a patient died following ingesting a sachet of gel granules that had been left in a urine bottle in their room.
Since 2017 there have been a further 12 reported incidents of ingestion by patients, resulting in two further deaths and two other patients requiring emergency treatment.
There is a mistaken belief that there is an infection prevention and control requirement for the routine use of these products for the containment of bodily waste prior to disposal, but this is not the case. Their use must be by exception only and preceded by a risk assessment that includes the individual patient and others in that location.
The safety alert requires providers to review their overall approach to the use of superabsorbent polymer gel granules in all product formats at all sites. In addition to deciding whether to exclude or restrict use of these products, providers must also take action to control their supply chain by preventing unauthorised ordering and ensure any products for non-patient use, including spill kits and cleaning products are kept secure and away from patients.
