Devon Partnership Trust launches Cleanyourhands Campaign

Posted on 10th July, 2008

Monday 14th July sees the launch of the cleanyourhands campaign.  This is a national campaign co-ordinated by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA).  It aims to improve the hand hygiene of healthcare workers and help trusts in England and Wales to tackle healthcare associated infections. In acute trusts the campaign is now in its 3rd year, but is being launched for the first time for Primary Care Trusts and Mental Health and Learning Disability Trusts this summer. The aim of the campaign is to improve awareness of hand hygiene and improve hand hygiene compliance.  The hands of healthcare workers are one of the main ways that infections can be spread so getting them to clean their hands more often and at the right times can help reduce and prevent infection. The cleanyourhands campaign involves a trust-wide approach to improvement and has four key components: • Providing handrub as an effective alternative to soap and water where care is provided. • Visual prompts for hand cleaning - a series of posters and leaflets for staff. • Information and empowerment materials for service users to get involved if they wish, by ensuring they know ‘it’s OK to ask’ if a healthcare worker has cleaned their hands. • Guidance on implementation outlining roles and responsibilities and providing advice on day-to-day running of the campaign. While the focus of the campaign is on healthcare workers, we do not wish to discourage service users or their relatives, carers and visitors from observing good personal hygiene. Further information can be obtained from Devon Partnership Trust’s Infection Control Team on 01392 402355 or by visiting the NPSA website:
http://www.npsa.nhs.uk/cleanyourhands

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