13/01/2010 - MRSA Action UK: Kent and Medway NHS and The Improvement Foundation Reducing Healthcare Associated Infections Outside of Hospital Programme

Wednesday, 13, Jan 2010 02:22

The Government has recognised that whilst the NHS has achieved a 50 per cent reduction of MRSA nationally, not every organisation has achieved this yet; for those organisations this objective should remain their immediate goal. Those that have already done so must continue to reduce infection rates. Primary Care Trusts will agree stretching ambitions in contracts with provider organisations for reducing infection rates and improving cleanliness. Strategic Health Authorities will ensure PCT plans are robust in this respect and must be satisfied that those plans demonstrate, collectively, reduced variation in performance.

From April 2009, all elective admissions must be screened for MRSA in line with Department of Health guidance. So there are many challenges ahead if the Government's target of 'no avoidable infections' is to be met, and public confidence increased - collaborative working between all healthcare settings is essential.

The Health and Social Care Act 2008 stipulates "Good management and organisation are crucial to establishing high standards of infection control. The systems for the prevention and control of infections associated with healthcare are expected to address:

- leadership;

- management arrangements;

- design and maintenance of the environment and devices;

- application of evidence-based protocols and practices for both users and staff; and

- education, training, information and communication"

"Effective prevention and control of HCAI has to be embedded into everyday practice and applied consistently by everyone."

The Improvement Foundation are offering an integrated programme of support to help tackle healthcare associated infections specifically in Care Homes, the programme includes themed interactive workshops where professionals from across the PCT can come together to offer practical support and share experiences and good practice with experts from the Department of Health and Health Protection Agency. MRSA Action UK will be presenting at the workshops with teams from Liverpool Primary Care Trust, who have commissioned the Improvement Foundation programme, lending opportunities to discuss patient empowerment and engagement. The events will present and discuss care pathways, multi-agency working and patient empowerment.

MRSA Action UK's sessions demonstrate how communication is key in working to reduce infections and save lives, and how care pathways can be used as an effective tool in communicating information that is required for patients' safety and ongoing care. The session also considers NICE guidance on reducing surgical site infection, and features the

Lincolnshire Care Pathways Partnership Integrated Care Pathway, and pictorial guide for patients. A form is also available for patients or residents who transfer between healthcare providers to pass on important information about their infection status and can be downloaded here.

The Improvement Foundation's integrated programme of support to help tackle healthcare associated infections in Care Homes complements work already taking place locally and nationally. A full 12-month programme is available for PCTs, Local Authorities and individual Care Homes who are ready to tackle healthcare associated infections. Each site will identify local improvement teams, which will include representative managers, nurses and other staff from each Care Home, residents, carers and relatives, local General Practitioners and community nursing teams. For more information about the Improvement Foundation Programme download the leaflet here