The Health Information and Quality Authority continues to drive patient safety by supporting the World Health Organization’s (WHO) SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands Campaign to reduce, control and prevent the spread of Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs). This international campaign promotes good hand-hygiene practices in healthcare facilities.

“Hand hygiene is recognisedas the single most important preventative measure in the transmission of HCAIs, particularly in health and social care services. It is essential that a culture of hand hygiene practice is embedded in every service at all levels”, said Jon Billings, Director of Healthcare Quality and Safety, HIQA.

WHO in their SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands annual initiative, are again issuing a global call to action inviting healthcare workers, facilities and organisationsthroughout the world to track their progress, plan their actions and aim for hand hygiene sustainability to reduce healthcare-associated infections and to demonstrate their commitment to this priority global movement. 

In May 2009, the Authority published National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections (NSPCHCAI). “These standards are intended for everyday use andprovide a framework for health and social care providers to prevent or minimise the occurrence of HCAIs in order to maximise the safety and quality of care delivered to all patients in Ireland. One of the standards focuses on hand hygiene and requires that all service providers ensure that ‘hand hygiene practices that prevent, control and reduce the risk of the spread of HCAI are in place’,” Jon Billings said.

The Authority has developed an assessment approach for monitoring compliance with the standards. Integral to this is an assessment of staff compliance with the WHO’s 5 Moments of Hand Hygiene and whether or not staff take these opportunities and use the correct technique. The WHO’s guidelines and observation tool form a fundamental part of the assessment.

“The Authority is fully committed to supporting the ongoing international and national drive for safer care by contributing to the reduction of HCAIs, including better hand-hygiene practices through standards, monitoring and publishing of findings of our monitoring. We will continue to support WHO’s Global Patient Safety Challenge”, he said.

ENDS