Annual Report 2006/07 - Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital

Infection Control
Infection control is championed right across the
Trust. Building on the National Patient Safety
Agency (NPSA) ‘Clean your hands’ campaign
and on the Department of Health ‘Saving Lives’
initiative, our focus has been on infection control
responsibilities at all levels. There are now
infection control leads at board level, clinicians at
directorate level and nurses at ward level.
Members of the public are playing their part
as well by responding positively to the new
visiting times. As part of the Cleaner Hospitals
campaign, one of the reasons for introducing
restricted visiting in most wards was to allow the
housekeeping staff easier access to bed spaces
for cleaning. We have also had a good response
when visitors are requested to postpone nonessential
visits at times when wards are
experiencing outbreaks of infection, or if
visitors themselves are feeling unwell.
On the clinical side, matrons and doctors
have undertaken a thorough review using the
Department of Health ‘Saving Lives’ assessment
tools, of frequently performed invasive
procedures where, by their very nature, there is
a higher risk of infection. Policies, procedures
and practice for urinary catheterisation, central
and peripheral vein drips, surgical wounds
and ventilator-assisted pneumonia have been
checked.
Progress has also been made ‘behind the
scenes’, with Trust laboratory technicians being
able to swiftly confirm whether or not a patient
has got Norovirus. Knowing this one way or the
other at an early stage of admission allows us
to take prompt action to minimise the spread of
the virus if infection is confirmed or in the event
of test results being negative, giving the all-clear
for the reopening of a ward to admissions.
There is also a commitment to infection control
in non-clinical areas, including food hygiene,
portering and housekeeping services and waste
management.
As well as good practice here and now, the
Infection Control Team has been involved in
the design and equipping of existing and new
healthcare facilities to ensure the environment
encourages effective
infection control.
In new facilities, it is
essential to ensure
installation of washable
surfaces, the right
number of appropriately
located hand-washing
sinks and doors which
can be opened or closed
without having to touch
knobs or handles; there
must also be sufficient
space between beds.
These are just some of
the simple but effective
decisions made, for
example, with the new
Centre for Women’s Health at Wonford.
The micro-organisms that cause infection move
with patients from the community into hospital
and out into the community again. It is therefore
important to ensure good communication between
primary and secondary care, between the RD&E
and the community hospitals. Unlike many other
areas, there is a joint Infection Control Team
employed by this Trust which provides a service
to the RD&E and also to the Exeter, East Devon
and Mid Devon localities of the Devon Primary
Care Trust as
well as the whole
of the Devon
Partnership Trust.
This team also
works closely with
the Devon Health
Protection Unit
which provides
infection control
advice to nursing
and residential homes. This approach ensures
“We know that infection control
is the number one concern among
members of the public. It’s also the
top priority for staff throughout
the RD&E.”
Angela Pedder, Chief Executive
good communication, uniformity of advice and a
consistent approach to infection control practice.
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