Infection Control Horizon Scanning Volume 1 Issue 7

Hospital’s patient safety measures appear on YouTube

Source: 1000 Lives campaign

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Date of publication: 25^th August 2009

Publication type: Audiovisual

In a nutshell: As part of the 1000 Lives campaign, staff from Brecon and Llandrindod Wells Hospitals in Powys have appeared in a video on You Tube exhibiting practices implemented to improve patient safety, including inflatable hot air gowns, surgical safety checklists and the use of clippers to remove hair preoperatively.

Length of publication: 4 minutes 33 seconds

Social networking websites could help to detect infection outbreaks

Source: Health Protection Agency

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Date of publication: 15^th September 2009

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: Twitter and other social networking sites could be used to track flu outbreaks and disease ‘hot spots’, accounting for people who don’t go to the doctor.  This intelligence could provide a vital early warning to combat illness.

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) toolkit

Source: Clean, Safe Care

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Date of publication: 9^th September 2009

Publication type: Best practice

In a nutshell: A Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is an essential activity to undertake following the diagnosis of a health care associated infection.   Clean, Safe Care has developed a toolkit for implementing a clearly defined process for undertaking a RCA, in order to identify areas that require improvement and minimise the chance of recurrence.   The toolkit includes data gathering tools, training materials, case studies and checklists.

Working together to prevent and control infections

Title: Working together to prevent and control infections

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Source: Care Quality Commission

Date of publication: September 2009

Publication type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: This report highlights a need for hospitals and care homes to provide information about infections to each other to:

• make sure that people with, or recovering from, an infection are cared for properly;
• reduce the chances of other people being infected.

The report finds that:

• information about infection is not provided in a coordinated way;
• care home managers have concerns about illegible or incomplete discharge information;
• ambulance crews are often left out of the information loop;
• care homes have not fully implemented national infection control guidelines.

Length of publication: 44p.

Impact of organisation and management factors on infection control in hospitals: a scoping review

Title: Impact of organisation and management factors on infection control in hospitals: a scoping review

Source: Journal of Hospital Infection 73(1) pp.1-14.

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Date of publication: September 2009

Publication type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: Item that identifies the key organisational characteristics that should be considered risk or preventive factors for infection. Positive leadership at ward level and above is a prerequisite for effective action to control infection. Senior clinical leaders need a highly visible presence and clear role boundaries and responsibilities. Team stability and morale are linked to improved patient outcomes. Organisational mechanisms for supporting training, appraisal and clinical governance are determinants of effective practice and successful change. Rates of infection are linked to workload, in terms of nurse staffing, bed occupancy and patient turnover.

Length of publication: 14p.

Some Important Notes: Ask your local health librarian to obtain this you can find them by following this link to HLISD.

Implementing the new NHS Cleaning Manual: Vicki Finlay, NPSA interview

Title: Implementing the new NHS Cleaning Manual: Vicki Finlay, NPSA interview

Source: Focused FM TV

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Date of publication: 21/09/09

Publication type: Audiovisual

In a nutshell: Interview with Vicki Finlay, Healthcare Cleanliness Lead at the NPSA advises on what the changes made by the introduction of The Revised Healthcare Cleaning Manual mean for trusts and how best they can implement the new guidance to drive improvements in cleanliness.

Length of publication: 05.30 minutes

Some important Notes: Site requires free registration.

Current standards for infection control: audit assures compliance

Title: Current standards for infection control: audit assures compliance

Source: British Journal of Nursing 18(16) pp. 970 – 975.

Date of publication: September 2009

Publication type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: Article that identifies that evidence has to be provided that these policies and procedures are followed under  the Care Quality Commission and The Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice for the NHS on the Prevention and Control of Healthcare-Associated Infections and Related Guidance (follow link to this documentation). This article demonstrates how the clinical audit team at the Douglas Macmillan Hospice in North Staffordshire, UK, have used audit to assure high rates of compliance with the current national standards for infection control and particularly to identify areas of shortfall in infection control and the effectiveness of putting in place an action plan followed by re-audit.

Length of publication: 5p.

Some Important Notes: There is a delay between publication and this being available as part of national core content so ask your local health librarian to obtain this you can find them by following this link to HLISD.

Revised Healthcare Cleaning Manual

Title: The Revised Health Care Cleaning Manual

Source: National Patient Safety Agency

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Date of publication: June 2009

Publication type: Practice Guidelines

In a nutshell: Revised Healthcare Cleaning Manual detailing new guidance to drive improvements in cleanliness across different healthcare settings, including acute care, mental health care, primary care and the ambulance service.  It provides a new, improved collection of cleaning method statements as well as new advice on the use of emerging cleaning technologies.

Length of publication: 174p.

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Infection Control Horizon Scanning Volume 1 Issue 6