WIREDGOV

Health workers have been warned that there's no excuse for failing to comply with hand hygiene procedures.

That was the message from Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon as the Scottish Government launched a zero tolerance policy to non compliance across NHS Scotland. The policy is contained in new guidance issued to NHS Boards today.

The launch coincides with the latest phase of Scotland's hand hygiene media campaign which aims to raise public awareness of the importance of regular hand washing.

Ms Sturgeon said:

"Hand hygiene is a simple, but essential, part of our drive to tackle infections in hospitals, for everyone from consultants to clerical staff.

"That's why we are now adopting a zero tolerance approach to non compliance by NHS staff to ensure we build on the great progress that has already been made.

"All NHS staff have a duty to ensure the safest possible environment for patients. Hand hygiene is not difficult and it is unacceptable for staff not to comply with guidance and procedures. It simply has to become a routine part of all health workers' daily lives.

"Today's launch of the zero tolerance policy means all staff should be in no doubt that the highest standards are expected and must be delivered."

A letter has today been sent from Paul Martin, the Scottish Government's Chief Nursing Officer, to all health board chief executives, outlining the zero tolerance policy. The letter also clarifies the roles and responsibities of all healthcare workers in working towards full compliance with hand hygiene policies.

Ms Sturgeon also announced today that a 'one stop shop' is being developed to give the public easy access to all published information on hospital infection rates and hand hygiene compliance.

The web portal will be part of the Scottish Government's HAI taskforce website and will include links to information from all NHS boards and Scottish hospitals.

The existing target for hand hygiene compliance - set by the Health Secretary in November 2007 - was for all boards to achieve 90 per cent. The latest figures, published on January 14, revealed that a 93 per cent compliance rate had been achieved.

Quarterly national audits are carrried out by specially trained staff to monitor complaince with hand hygiene procedures. National audits are being stepped up to bi-monthly from March. National audits are backed up by local audits. All boards are expected to carry out hand hygiene audits at least once a month, across all clinical areas. In addition, Senior Charge Nurses are responsible for ensuring compliance with good hand hygiene within their clinical areas.

The hand washing campaign features the message 'germs - wash your hands of them' and aims to raise public awareness of the importance of good hand hygiene.

The media campaign, which includes television and radio adverts as well as outdoor and online ads and motion sensored talking posters, runs for eight weeks from today.

A completely new awareness campaign, in hospitals throughout Scotland, aimed specifically at health workers, patients and visitors will be launched in the spring.

The Scottish Government is investing £54 million pounds (over three years) in a range of initiatives designed to tackle HAIs. These include a national MRSA screening programme, prudent prescribing of antibiotics, 100 per cent single room provision in all new hospitals and a Care Environment Inspectorate to carry out unannounced inspections of hospitals.

Earlier this month, Ms Sturgeon launched an HAI reporting template that will give the public access to data on infection rates at individual hospitals for the first time. The bi-monthly reporting will include information on hand hygiene levels.

All published information on infection rates and hand hygiene compliance, including information from the HAI reporting template, will be available through the new web portal at www.scotland.gov.uk/haitaskforce. The portal is expected to be established by the end of this month.

Good hand hygiene procedures involve regularly cleaning hands with soap and water and/or an alcohol gel. Where a patient has the infection clostridium difficile, soap and water must be used.

Related Information

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/NHS-Scotland/19529/2005

http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/haiic/ic/publicationsdetail.aspx?id=40149