This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New campaign to protect against hospital infection
14/03/2005
A major campaign to protect patients from hospital
infection and ensure clean wards was announced today.
The new campaign, one of the most comprehensive in
Europe, is backed by £15 million investment over three
years.
Health Minister Andy Kerr said:
"Healthcare associated infection (HAI) is a major
concern for the public and for me.
"We are tackling this head-on with the raft of measures
I am announcing today.
"Most importantly, we are putting Sisters/Charge Nurses
back in charge of wards. They will be clearly responsible
for ensuring ward cleanliness and will have more powers to
support this. They should be the first point of contact for
patients or visitors who have concerns over standards of
cleaning.
"The whole campaign will be thorough, relentless and
systematic. And it has to involve everyone because
infection control is everyone's business.
"That means all of us - staff, visitors and patients
playing their part."
Other key measures in the campaign include:
- Every sister/charge nurse to
undergo Cleanliness Champions training in infection
control and every student nurse in Scotland will have
the same training built into their studies.
- Alcohol hand washes by every
frontline bed in Scotland by next month.
- A reinforced system of
accountability for Health Boards - each with a senior
infection control manager answering directly to the
Chief Executive.
- Major new research - the most
advanced in Europe - to identify and track down the
full range of hospital bugs. This will enable more
effective control measures and monitoring of
progress.
Mr Kerr said:
"Scotland has led the UK in this area. The HAI Task
Force has done a first rate job learning from best practice
at home and overseas, and setting the standards which need
to be met.
"That work has helped halt the rise in infection rates.
But they are still far too high. Now we have to start
driving them down and the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) will
take a lead role this year in delivering this.
"I want to see evidence of progress by Health Boards
when I chair their annual accountability meetings later
this year.
"Hard working cleaners need more support. They will get
it.
"There will be a national training programme and
opportunities to develop their skills and careers as part
of valued NHS teams. We will also pilot the reintroduction
of Ward Housekeepers working under supervision of the
Sister/Charge Nurse.
"There will be clearer antibiotic prescribing guidance
for clinical staff and specific advice from the CNO to
improve nursing practice. We are also today publishing new
infection control standards for Adult Care Homes because
good hygiene is not just a matter for hospitals.
"Simple rules, old rules, common sense rules - but we
have to relearn them and keep reminding ourselves of
them.
"There is no doubt that we can make progress but we will
only do that by tackling this problem on every front."
Since starting its work two years ago, the HAI Task
Force chaired by Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Mac
Armstrong, has provided guidance and policies for cleaning
and infection control, including programmes for education
and training. The National Cleaning Services Specification
for NHSScotland was first issued in September 2003.
The Task Force has also supported the training of
Cleanliness Champions - drawn from all hospital staff. More
than 300 workers - cleaners, support staff and consultants
are already trained, and NHS Boards are now required to
reach a defined number of Champions. England and Wales
have now expressed interest in following this model.
Scotland's Chief Nursing Officer Paul Martin will
oversee implementation of the new programme. Provision of
alcohol washes at every frontline bed will be funded at an
estimated £900,000 in 2005-06.
Effective action needs to be based on best available
knowledge. Research will be carried out by Health
Protection Scotland in a national prevalence survey to find
out the full extent and types of infection problems in
Scottish hospitals (including MRSA). This will cost an
estimated £560,000 over two years.
Also being distributed to NHSScotland today are posters
with five 'top tips' from the CMO and CNO for people
visiting hospitals:
- Think about keeping patients safe
before you visit someone in hospital. If you, or
someone you live with has a cold or diarrhoea, or if
you feel unwell, try to stay away until you're
better.
- Wash and dry your hands before
visiting a hospital ward, particularly after going to
the toilet. If there is alcohol hand gel provided at
the ward door or at the bedside, use it.
- Ask ward staff for advice before
you bring in food or drink for someone you are visiting
in hospital.
- If you visit someone in hospital,
don't sit on their bed and keep the number of visitors
to a minimum at any one time. Never touch dressings,
drips, or other equipment around the bed.
- If you think NHS premises are not
as clean as they should be, let the Sister/Charge Nurse
know. If you think a healthcare worker has forgotten
to wash their hands, remind them about this.
New infection control standards published today and
developed with the Care Commission will apply to Adult Care
Homes. They are the first such standards in the UK.