Major Scottish Hospital Adopts Steriwave®

Ondine Biomedical Inc. (AIM: OBI), a leader in light-activated antimicrobial therapies to prevent and treat hospital infections, together with its UK distribution partner, Mölnlycke Health Care, is pleased to announce that NHS Golden Jubilee is the first hospital in Scotland to adopt Steriwave® nasal photodisinfection. The milestone brings Steriwave into the surgical pathway at the UK’s largest hip and knee replacement centre, supporting the hospital’s commitment to advancing the Scottish Government’s 2026 health objectives and reinforcing the role of rapid, non-antibiotic infection prevention in protecting surgical capacity and supporting high-quality patient care.

NHS Golden Jubilee performs approximately 25% of Scotland’s hip and knee replacements and plays a central role in delivering elective orthopaedic care for patients across the country. The Scottish Government’s health objectives place significant emphasis on prevention, planned-care capacity and more effective use of Scotland’s National Treatment Centres, which are intended to support recovery, reduce waiting times and increase elective surgical capacity.

Steriwave aligns with these priorities by making nasal decolonisation a five-minute, clinician-administered, point-of-care treatment immediately before surgery. The treatment uses a light-activated antimicrobial agent and red light to rapidly reduce harmful pathogens in the nose, a known reservoir for bacteria, viruses and fungi associated with surgical site infections (“SSIs”). By reducing reliance on multi-day home-based nasal decolonisation regimens, Steriwave provides greater procedural certainty and supports antimicrobial stewardship through a non-antibiotic approach.

SSIs can have a major impact on patients and hospital resources, increasing length of stay, delaying recovery and placing additional pressure on surgical and wider bed capacity. The operational importance of preventing SSIs is underscored by the ECONI study (Evaluation of Cost of Nosocomial Infection), a landmark research project commissioned by the Scottish Government. The study reveals that a single SSI adds an average of 9.8 days to a patient’s length of stay.[ ] At a high-volume centre such as NHS Golden Jubilee, where standard elective joint replacements typically involve an average hospital stay of 3.4 days, reducing SSIs can have a meaningful impact on patient recovery, hospital capacity and the efficient use of specialist surgical resources.

Professor Christopher Gee, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at NHS Golden Jubilee, said: 

"Our primary mission is to ensure the highest standards of safety for patients undergoing joint replacement surgery by consistently implementing evidence-based best practices. Preventing surgical site infections is a critical component of our approach, and our team actively uses advanced technologies to minimise risk. By integrating nasal photodisinfection into our infection-prevention bundle, we offer an efficient, nurse-led solution that enhances patient outcomes and optimises healthcare resources."

Carolyn Cross, CEO of Ondine Biomedical, commented:

“As Scotland advances its health strategy, we are proud to support NHS Golden Jubilee in bringing rapid, non-antibiotic nasal photodisinfection into its surgical pathway. In high-volume elective surgery, preventing even one surgical site infection can preserve bed capacity equivalent to around three standard joint replacement stays. Steriwave puts control of a critical part of infection prevention in the hands of clinical teams at the point of care, helping protect patients and supporting surgical capacity across the NHS.”

Lina Karlsson, EVP Antiseptics for Mölnlycke, added:

“At Mölnlycke, our vision is a world without healthcare-associated infections, and our partnership with Ondine and the Steriwave technology is an important step towards that goal. We are proud to collaborate with NHS Golden Jubilee and to support its efforts to prevent surgical site infections and improve patient outcomes. We believe the success of this initiative can help accelerate the adoption of effective patient decolonisation practices across the NHS and beyond.”

For healthcare providers in the UK, Steriwave is available through Ondine’s distribution partner, Mölnlycke Health Care, a global leader in medical solutions. For more information contact: Healthcare Professionals Contact or antiseptics.uk@molnlycke.com, or call +44 0800 917 4918.