Healthcare associated infections
February 2006
Strategies for improvement: role of the healthcare professional
Management and organisation
In addition to the responsibilities of healthcare professionals, tackling HCAIs necessitates senior managerial commitment and the development of local infrastructure and systems. All healthcare providers should have suitable management and evaluation systems in place that define responsibility and accountability for infection prevention and control. Managerial interest at a strategic level and the commitment and support of senior management and heads of clinical directorates are essential.
Further information
- Action areas and guidelines on management and organisation of HCAIs can be found in Winning ways: working together to reduce healthcare associated infection in England (Department of Health, 2003).
- The DH has launched a programme, ‘Saving Lives: a delivery programme to reduce healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) including MRSA’ that is designed to support NHS trusts in reducing HCAIs through a series of tools and supporting information. It has developed five high impact interventions in the form of simple evidence-based tools including preventing the risk of microbial contamination, central venous catheter care, preventing surgical site infections, care of ventilated patients and urinary catheter care. These review tools provide checklists for the standard protocols that should be followed, and can be used to monitor the level of compliance and improve the reliability of the clinical process. Further information can be found on the DH website here at www.dh.gov.uk
- Recommendations from the National Audit Office (NAO) on the strategic management of HCAIs can be found in The management and control of hospital acquired infection in acute NHS trusts in England (NAO, 2000) and Improving patient care by reducing the risk of hospital acquired infection: a progress report (NAO, 2004).