Southern DHB supports Infection Prevention Week

Media Release

20 October 2015

Southern DHB supports International Infection Prevention Week

Southern DHB is supporting International Infection Prevention (IPC) week (October 19 – 24) to spread the message that everyone plays a role in infection prevention.

“Patients and families as well as staff play an important role in infection prevention,” says Southern DHB charge nurse for Infection Prevention & Control (IPC), Jo Stodart.

The 2015 theme for IPC week is “think global act local” which encourages everyone to consider how they can implement infection prevention within their everyday lives. Being able to engage patients and families in the prevention of infections is important to the success of this.

“We want to spread the message that this week is a reminder that IPC is everyone’s responsibility and even small changes can make a difference.” said Jo.

“The best way that patients, family and visitors can help stop the spread of infections is by cleaning your hands and asking everyone around you to do the same. Hand hygiene is critical in saving lives.”

In New Zealand the IPC quality programme is managed by the Health Quality and Safety Commission (HQSC). The latest figures reported by the HQSC show that Southern DHB is leading the way in New Zealand for hand hygiene after achieving 85.4 percent hand hygiene compliance in the latest Hand Hygiene New Zealand (HHNZ) audit.

“We want to celebrate and build on this. We have great senior support for the programme and a strong commitment to the "5 moments for hand hygiene". We’ve had a core membership of gold auditors who have grown in the role and developed the confidence to foster "frontline ownership" among staff in our wards and departments,” commented Jo.

The fantastic result has been made possible by support from Southern DHB's Director of Quality, Tina Gilbertson who has been instrumental in increasing compliance.

“We’re delighted that Southern DHB is leading the way for hand hygiene and we want to build on this in every area of IPC,” said Ms Gilbertson.

As well as raising awareness to patients and families the DHB has activities planned including posts on the intranet and Facebook, quizzes, hand hygiene training sessions and displays in wards and communal areas of Dunedin and Invercargill hospitals.

ENDS

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