ESG supplied its innovative switchable glass panels for use in the brand new state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Royal Free Hospital London.

Ideal for use in a healthcare environment, ESG Switchable™ glass windows allow patients to have a modern, light room where they do not feel isolated from the outside world, whilst giving medical staff total control over the viewing panel.

With the previous ICU somewhat dated and split across two locations in the hospital, the £11.8 million project to build a cutting-edge ICU at the Royal Free Hospital London began last year, designed to provide a modern 34-bed unit with more practical, useable space.

Maintaining patient dignity is a paramount concern in any healthcare environment. ESG Switchable™ glass panels can be switched from clear to opaque in less than 100 milliseconds, allowing the hospital and its medical staff immediate control over patient privacy.

The Royal Free Hospital London is a major tertiary referral centre for a number of medical and surgical specialties, including complex liver surgery and liver transplantation, vascular surgery, infectious diseases and HIV, haematology and oncology, and patients following heart attacks. Subsequently, the need for a privacy glass solution that minimises the risk of bacterial infection is imperative.

ESG Switchable™ glass is a cleaner, healthier alternative to traditional curtains that are susceptible to bacteria cultivation which can aid the spread of MRSA among patients.

ESG Switchable glass is treated with ClearShield® Anti-microbial protection that seeks to prevent the prevalence and spread of potentially harmful infections such as MRSA, e-coli and C-difficile, due to its innovative ‘non-stick’ surface. This acts as a barrier that resists the adhesion and growth of bacteria, viruses and fungi.