Preventing infection and keeping you safe across our hospitals
Infection prevention is everyone’s responsibility. For many people being treated in hospital and receiving care within our communities, infections can be serious, and in some cases, life-threatening.
Around 300,000 people a year acquire infections as a result of NHS care. The most common types are respiratory infections (infections affecting breathing & lungs), urinary tract infections and surgical site infections.
They can also make existing medical conditions worse. Regular contact with staff, other residents, family and friends and the shared living space all mean infection can easily be passed around. It is therefore vital that we all take the steps that can help prevent infection spreading.
Do not visit us if:
- You have suffered diarrhoea. It is estimated that there are up to 17 million cases attributed to acute infectious diarrhoea every year.
- vomiting,
- have had a cough
- have had a cold or flu- flu can be deadly to vulnerable people
- please stay away from the hospital until you have been free of symptoms for 48 hours. If in doubt call the ward prior to visiting for advice
HAND HYGIENE
Hand hygiene is one of the most important ways of controlling the spread of infections, especially those that cause diarrhoea or vomiting and respiratory infections.
What you need to do
- Please wash your hands with soap and water (or use alcohol hand rub) after using the toilet, before eating or handling food, after playtime and after touching animals.
- If you are visiting a patient who is in hospital and you provide hands on care (help them to wash or dress), please wash your hands (or use alcohol hand rub) before and after touching them.
- Alcohol hand rub can be used if hands are not visibly dirty. Alcohol hand rub is not effective against organisms that cause gastroenteritis, such as norovirus.
Coughs & Sneezes
Germs can be easily spread from coughing and sneezing.
Covering your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing can reduce the spread of infections.
What you need to do
All individuals, particularly those with signs and symptoms of a respiratory infection, please follow the below guidance:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing and sneezing, dispose of used tissue in a waste bin, and clean your hands
- cough or sneeze into the inner elbow (upper sleeve) if no tissues are available, rather than into your hand
- keep contaminated hands away from their eyes, mouth and nose
- wash hands properly after contact with respiratory secretions and contaminated objects and materials
Service users / patients: what you can do to help?
- Keeping your hands and body clean are especially important when you are in hospital. Where possible have a supply of your own toiletries, kept in a wash bag
- Always wash your hands immediately before you eat a meal
- Always wash your hands after using the toilet
- If you are concerned that any area does not look clean, report this immediately to the nurse in charge of the ward
- Always wear something on your feet when walking around in hospital. A comfortable pair of slippers is fine but make sure they have some grip on the soles.
- If a member of staff needs to examine you or perform a procedure, ask if they have washed their hands or used an alcohol rub or gel
- Please ask the nurse in charge before you bring in any food or drink for a relative
- Having vaccinations and keeping these up to date, is one of the best ways to prevent infections.
Did you know?
Intensive Care and other highly vulnerable areas of our sites are where the majority of outbreaks and infections occur due to the severity of the illnesses of the patients in them. Patients are usually in these environments for a longer period of time as well, so we have to take even more care of preventative measures as mentioned above.