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WHO expert praises Scottish progress
31/05/2005
Professor Didier Pittet, one of the world's leading
experts on infection control, today hailed Scotland's
approach as one for other countries to follow.
At a conference organised by NHS Quality Improvement
Scotland, Professor Pittet, Director of the Infection
Control Programme of University of Geneva Hospitals,
said:
"I am delighted to be visiting Edinburgh. Scotland is
amongst European leaders in tackling healthcare associated
infection (HAI). This builds on the great historic Scottish
contribution to international understanding of disease and
infection.
"I am very impressed by the work of the HAI Task Force
which is addressing this problem in a comprehensive manner.
That includes setting clear standards, undertaking research
to inform decision-making and good practice, educating
staff and members of the public, and establishing clear
lines of responsibility at ward and manager level.
"In particular, I am pleased that Scotland has followed
the Geneva model, markedly improving hand hygiene by making
available alcohol-based handrubs at every bedside.
"This is a major step forward and, taken with the other
measures, should bring about the kind of improvements we
have seen in Geneva. Similar strategy is to be promoted
within the framework of the Global Patient Safety Challenge
which I have the honour to lead on the behalf of the World
Health Organization's (WHO) World Alliance for Patient
Safety.
"Reducing the levels of infection, including MRSA, is a
major challenge for all countries. As Scotland points out,
infection control is everybody's business, and the strategy
followed by Scotland is an excellent model for others to
look to."
The QIS conference aims to promote and share best
practice in infection control.
Health Minister Andy Kerr said:
"I am very pleased that we can hear at first hand the
experience of such an eminent figure as Professor Pittet in
Geneva.
"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 producing professional guidance
and educational initiatives which need to be fully
implemented.
"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.
"That means all of us - staff, visitors and patients -
playing their part. In March this year, the Executive
announced a £15 million campaign over three years to
protect patients from hospital infections.
The programme, one of the most comprehensive in Europe,
puts sisters/charge nurses back in charge of ward
cleanliness with more powers and training to support
them.
Other features include:
- Every sister/charge nurse to undergo special
training in infection control and every student nurse
in Scotland will have the same training built into
their studies
- Alcohol handrubs by every frontline bed in
Scotland
- 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
NHS QIS was set up in 2003 to lead in improving quality
of care and treatment delivered by NHS Scotland. It does
this by setting standards, monitoring performance and
providing advice, guidance and support on effective
clinical practice.
NHS QIS published HAI infection control standards in
December 2001 and has published updates on progress
implemtning these. The positive recommendations of the NHS
QIS health technology assessment (HTA) on alcohol hand gel
became available in March 2005. This assessment looked at
existing literature on the clinical effectiveness of
alcohol hand gels to improve hand hygiene compliance.
Since starting its work two years ago, the Executive's
HAI Task Force chaired by the Chief Medical Officer, has
provided guidance and policies for cleaning and infection
control, including programmes for education and
training.
The Task Force has also supervised the training of
Cleanliness Champions - drawn from all hospital staff. More
than 300 workers - cleaners, support staff and consultants
are already trained. The Champions programme will now be
rolled out to sisters/charge nurses and every student nurse
and may be extended to all medical students. England and
Wales have now expressed interest in following this
model.
Scotland's Chief Nursing Officer Paul Martin will
oversee implementation of the new infection control
campaign. Provision of alcohol washes at every frontline
bed will cost an estimated #900,000.
Research is to 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.