Plans are underway to extend the cleanyourhands campaign from acute NHS hospitals to other care settings, such as primary care organisations, GP practices, community hospitals, nursing homes, care homes, ambulances, hospices, and dental surgeries.
An assessment undertaken on behalf of the National Patient Safety Agency by the Department of Health which explored the costs of implementing the campaign, found it to be cost saving even if the reduction in healthcare associated infection rates were as low as 0.1%. The cleanyourhands campaign aims to minimise the risk to patient safety of low compliance with hand hygiene by NHS staff through a national strategy of improvement.
The campaign involves placing disinfectant handrubs near to where staff have patient contact, enabling them to clean their hands at the right time and in a quick and effective manner. It also aims to display posters and promotional materials where they will influence staff and patients, with patients being encouraged to improve hand hygiene too. The campaign’s promotional materials are available free of charge to those NHS organisations implementing the campaign.
