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BCOP's Neville Williams House and Robert Harvey House have been recognised for their contribution to an important national research study that has helped improve understanding of infection prevention in care homes.
Between September 2021 and May 2024, both homes took part in the AFRI-c Study (Air Filters to Prevent Respiratory Infection including COVID-19 in Care Homes), a major scientific research project led by the University of Bristol and Bristol Trials Centre, and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The results have now been published in the internationally respected JAMA Internal Medicine journal, providing valuable evidence to help guide future infection prevention practices in care homes.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of understanding how respiratory infections spread in care settings and how best to protect older people.
The AFRI-c study set out to answer a straightforward but important question: can portable High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters reduce coughs, colds, flu and COVID-19 in care homes?
Over three winters, 91 care and nursing homes across England took part in the study, involving more than 2,750 residents. Homes were randomly allocated either to continue with their normal infection prevention procedures or to use portable HEPA air filters in communal areas and selected bedrooms alongside their usual infection control measures. Throughout the study, staff collected daily information about residents' health and symptoms.
The findings showed that portable HEPA air filters did not reduce:
Instead, the study demonstrated that the infection prevention measures already used by care homes remain highly effective. Researchers concluded that care homes should continue to focus on established infection prevention practices, including good hygiene, cleaning procedures and vaccination programmes, rather than investing in portable air filtration systems solely to prevent infection.
Although the results showed no additional benefit from the air filters, they provide robust scientific evidence that will help care providers make informed decisions about future investment and infection prevention strategies.
At BCOP, we believe that excellent care should always be informed by evidence. By taking part in carefully designed research studies like AFRI-c, our nursing homes help improve knowledge that benefits older people not only within BCOP, but across the whole care sector.
Research participation also reflects our commitment to continuous improvement. Our teams regularly work with universities and healthcare researchers to explore new ideas, test innovations and contribute to better standards of care. This commitment to learning and improvement is something the Care Quality Commission (CQC) also looks for when assessing care providers. Providers that engage with research demonstrate a culture of innovation, reflective practice and a willingness to continually improve outcomes for residents.
Participating in the AFRI-c study required a significant commitment from our colleagues at Neville Williams House and Robert Harvey House.
For almost three years, staff supported daily data collection alongside their normal caring responsibilities, helping researchers gather one of the largest datasets ever collected for this type of study.
The University of Bristol thanked participating care homes for their dedication, noting that together they exceeded the study's data collection target by around 30% and made the research possible.
BCOP is proud to continue supporting high-quality research through the ENRICH (Enabling Research in Care Homes) network and other collaborative projects.
Every study we participate in helps build a stronger evidence base for social care, ensuring that future decisions are guided by robust research and ultimately improving the quality of life for older people.
Families who would like to learn more about the AFRI-c study can watch a short video produced by the research team explaining the results.
The full research paper is available in JAMA Internal Medicine.