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Date of publication: April 2011

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell: The first report from the Intensive Care Unit Associated Infection (ICUAI) National Surveillance Programme provides data for the period May 2009 to January 2010 from 19 Intensive Care Units in Scotland.  The report contains surveillance data data relating to central venous catheter-related infection (CRI), catheter related bloodstream infection (CR-BSI), pneumonia (PN) and bloodstream infections (BSI).

Length of publication: 24 pages

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Date of publication: March 2011

Publication type: Practice guidelines

In a nutshell: Letter advising of the Department of Health’s current advice to the NHS on testing for C. difficile infection (CDI), and also to update on the programme of work commissioned to support improvements in CDI testing.

Length of publication: 3 pages

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Date of publication: February 2011

Publication type: Best practice

In a nutshell: The Green Book is the popular name for Immunisation against infectious disease which is a publicly available document on the principles, practices and procedures of immunisation in the UK, with particular emphasis on those immunisations that comprise the routine immunisation programme from birth through to adulthood.

There have been several recent changes to The Green Book in the following chapters:
Chapter 17 Hepatitis A (February 2011)
Chapter 14 Cholera (January 2011)
Chapter 19 Influenza (January 2011)
Chapter 11 Immunisation schedule (January 2011)

Length of publication: 518 pages

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Date of publication: February 2011

Publication type: Best practice

In a nutshell: The Infection Prevention Society has published a competency framework for Infection Prevention and Control practitioners.  The purpose of the framework is to assist practitioners to continually increase their existing knowledge, understanding and skills in order to reach our ultimate goal of safe, improved quality of care for patients through reduction in the burden of disease and avoidable illness caused by healthcare associated infections.

Length of publication: 27 pages

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Date of publication: February 2011

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell: A mid-season assessment of the effectiveness of the UK’s current-season influenza vaccination programme indicates that the programme has been effective and that there has been a moderately good matching of the trivalent vaccine and the circulating influenza strain(s). 

Length of publication: Web page

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Date of publication: January 2011

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: A new scheme to reduce catheter-related bloodstream infections is to be rolled out across the NHS.  The ‘Matching Michigan’ programme has been successful in the US and uses data collection and checklists to lower infection rates.

Length of publication: Web page

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Date of publication: January 2011

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: Primary Care practitioners can now access a broad range of information to help them look after patients who have come to live in the UK from abroad, following today’s launch of a free-to-use online resource by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).  The guide covers a wide variety of health issues that may affect migrant patients including infectious diseases.

Length of publication: Web page