HCAI public health threat identified in Scotland
A study by Health Protection Scotland has identified a specific public health threat as a result of analysing data from 2,147 residents in 52 care homes in the country according to a recent report on the Scotsman website.
The article by Shan Ross focusses on the fact that 1 in 17 residents in long term health facilities (based on the survey of 6% of such facilities across Scotland) has an HCAI (healthcare associated infection), “posing a public health threat”.
5.9% of residents on any given day have an HCAI according to the National Point Prevalence Survey, says the report. A number of these infections could normally be expected as a result of potential health issues, but “many are preventable”.
Hand washing and increasing antimicrobial resistance
New infection prevention measures are needed to tackle the increasing threat of antimicrobial resistance in Scotland, according to the report, which quotes lead consultant for healthcare associated infections Professor Jacqui Reilly
“The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has recently confirmed that these infections represent the highest burden of all communicable diseases monitored in Europe.”
Infection prevention protocols have long been established in hospital settings for obvious reasons, but they should also be applied across all healthcare facilities – including nursing homes, according to a recent article on the Infection Control Today website.
The report centres on a new study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Infection Control which focussed on a group of researchers who reviewed the impact of implementing a multicomponent hand hygiene (HH) programme in nursing homes.
Care home infections risk public health, but many preventable »
The prefect mobile hand washing facility for care homes
The TEAL WashStand portable hot water hand wash unit has been designed specifically to meet the requirements of the home care situation. Hand hygiene can me provided quickly and easily with a minimum of fuss, thanks to the easy to use and easy to move nature of WashStand portable sinks.
Featuring low friction wheels and convenient handle, it can quickly and easily be guided straight to where a hot water hand wash is needed – wherever the bed bound or incapacitated patient may be.