Written Question · S3W-29891 · Session 3
Further to the answer to question S3W-29384 by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 December 2009, what steps it is taking to ensure that patients, visitor…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-29384 by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 December 2009, what steps it is taking to ensure that patients, visitors and staff associated with a patient with suspected Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) recognise that alcohol gel is ineffective in tackling CDI spores and that there is no alternative to hand washing.
The answer
Health Protection Scotland (HPS) provide staff, patients and visitors with a range of information about the importance of using soap and water rather than alcohol gels when in contact with patients who may have contracted a Clostridium difficile infection (CDI).
All healthcare staff participating in the NHS Education for Scotland Cleanliness Champions Programme are provided with training materials on the correct hand washing procedures to follow when in contact with patients with a CDI.
Clear instructions for staff are also contained in HPS Model Infection Control Policies; national hand hygiene campaign leaflets (2009); HPS CDI guidance on prevention and control of Clostridium difficile infection (2009), and information in the Checklist for Preventing and Controlling Clostridium difficile Associated Disease (CDAD) (2008). The links to these documents are as follows:
http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/haiic/ic/modelinfectioncontrolpolicies.aspx#sicp.
http://www.washyourhandsofthem.com/campaign/campaignleaflets-phase2.html.
http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/about-hps/hpn/clostridium-difficile-infection-guidelines.pdf.
http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/hai/sshaip/publications/cdad/2008-09-01-cdad-checklist.pdf).
An HPS information leaflet entitled Clostridium difficile Infection Information for Hospital Patients and Visitors (2008) is also available and can be viewed at:
http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/hai/sshaip/guidelines/clostridium-difficile/cdiff-patient-info-2008-06.pdf.
Finally, for generic information on hand washing, staff, patients and visitors are able to visit the HPS campaign website www.washyourhandsofthem.com.
All healthcare staff participating in the NHS Education for Scotland Cleanliness Champions Programme are provided with training materials on the correct hand washing procedures to follow when in contact with patients with a CDI.
Clear instructions for staff are also contained in HPS Model Infection Control Policies; national hand hygiene campaign leaflets (2009); HPS CDI guidance on prevention and control of Clostridium difficile infection (2009), and information in the Checklist for Preventing and Controlling Clostridium difficile Associated Disease (CDAD) (2008). The links to these documents are as follows:
http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/haiic/ic/modelinfectioncontrolpolicies.aspx#sicp.
http://www.washyourhandsofthem.com/campaign/campaignleaflets-phase2.html.
http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/about-hps/hpn/clostridium-difficile-infection-guidelines.pdf.
http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/hai/sshaip/publications/cdad/2008-09-01-cdad-checklist.pdf).
An HPS information leaflet entitled Clostridium difficile Infection Information for Hospital Patients and Visitors (2008) is also available and can be viewed at:
http://www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk/hai/sshaip/guidelines/clostridium-difficile/cdiff-patient-info-2008-06.pdf.
Finally, for generic information on hand washing, staff, patients and visitors are able to visit the HPS campaign website www.washyourhandsofthem.com.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-29891 by reference.