This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Awareness of Healthcare Acquired Infection
27/01/2004
The Task Force set up to raise public awareness about
Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) today confirmed
its work plan for its second year.
It will focus on communicating clear, consistent
messages to the public about the risks of HAI, especially
in hospitals, and how best to tackle them.
As well as public involvement, the Task Force workplan
includes:
- Ensuring the implementation of guidance, including
the new NHSScotland cleaning specifications and the
Code of Practice on HAI and Hygiene
- Progressing the research agenda, looking at the use
of surveillance data to alert Trusts to potential or
actual outbreaks, the impact of HAI on bed usage and
the cost effectiveness of different interventions to
reduce HAI
- Development of guidance, e.g. on incidents and
outbreak control including the issue of staff
screening
- Further progression of the HAI education agenda,
e.g. mandatory induction training and the development
of the HAI educational framework
The public involvement agenda being progressed this year
will include finding the best way to assess patient
satisfaction, the development of a Public Involvement Day
to raise public awareness and shadowing infection control
nurses to have a better understanding of their work.
Dr Mac Armstrong, Chief Medical Officer and Chair of the
HAI Task Force, said:
"The Task Force has made progress across a number of
fronts. The Code of Practice and cleaning specifications
are very necessary building blocks in tackling HAI,
particularly in Scotland's hospitals.
"I am pleased in this second year that we are turning
our attention to the public's involvement because infection
control is everyone's responsibility. The public are an
essential part of the drive to improve prevention and
control of HAI. We want to ensure that everyone has some of
level of knowledge about HAI and what they can do to help
prevent and stop the spread of infections."
The HAI Task Force was formed in January 2003 in
response to the Ministerial HAI Action Plan, Preventing
Infection Acquired While Receiving Healthcare, with the
following remit:
- Co-ordinate the development and implementation of
the HAI Action Plan
- Review progress of its implementation across
NHSScotland
- Monitor the levels of HAI and assess the impact on
them of control measures
- Report on progress to the Health Minister and to
the public at large through the CMO's Annual
Report
In year one there was:
- Consultation on an NHSScotland Code of Practice for
the Management of HAI and Hygiene
- Development of a framework for mandatory induction
training on HAI
- Development of national cleaning
specifications
- Development of the 'Champions' training programme.
It is expected that 1,000 staff will be trained in
2003/04 with a total of 3,500 in two years' time. A
wide range of staff are involved in the programme
including nurses, domestic staff, allied health
professions and a chief executive
- Development of national standards for infection
control in adult care homes