Deb a global skin care solutions specialist – will be exhibiting at the Infection Prevention Society (IPS) conference in Manchester Central, from 18-20 September (stand 95).
A key event for professionals and decision-makers involved in infection prevention and control in the UK, this year’s conference is the largest of its kind and marks the tenth anniversary of the IPS.
At the event, Deb will be launching its DebMed® programme to a wide range of healthcare stakeholders. DebMed® is a unique, integrated hand hygiene compliance and skin care programme that is focused on setting higher standards in the fight against healthcare associated infections (HCAIs), incorporating three dedicated elements: Essential Products, Vital Information, and Highest Standards of Behaviour.
DebMed® is customised to each healthcare environment and has been proven to increase hand hygiene compliance by 25.5% and reduce HCAIs like MRSA by as much as 42% . Central to this is Vital Information – Deb’s unique electronic monitoring system that is clinically proven to be an accurate and reliable method of measuring hand hygiene compliance against the World Health Organisation (WHO) ‘Five Moments of Hand Hygiene’. This offers healthcare institutions the ability to capture 100% of hand hygiene events, and accurately track compliance rates across their facilities.
The need for more effective monitoring methods in the healthcare sector is clear. A lack of hand hygiene compliance among staff continues to be of major concern in healthcare environments and a significant contributor to the spread of pathogens, which result in HCAIs. Combatting the threat of HCAIs is crucial, with approximately 300,000 patients contracting an illness annually in the UK whilst being treated in healthcare premises . MRSA bloodstream infections and Clostridium difficile infections were recorded as the underlying cause of or a contributory factor in, approximately 9,000 deaths in hospital and primary care in England .
Supporting the effective monitoring of compliance is Essential Products, the 3-step hand hygiene protocol that should be followed by healthcare staff: cleanse, sanitise and care. This revolves around staff members frequently using hand hygiene products at regular intervals recommended by the WHO ‘Five Moments’. This field-tested, user-centred approach defines the key times when healthcare workers should perform hand hygiene.
The DebMed® Sanitise dispensers incorporate Optidose, which Deb is also launching at the conference. Optidose precisely and cost-effectively delivers exactly the optimum amount of sanitiser to meet WHO standards of 20-30 seconds wet time. One dispenser push ensures efficient hand hygiene, thereby eliminating the wasteful practice of staff needing to guess the correct dose and pressing multiple times as a consequence.
The DebMed® programme also includes a dedicated education and training platform that enables healthcare institutions to makes sure the Highest Standards of Behaviour are in place at all times. This encompasses a training toolbox designed to change behaviour by educating staff about best practice in how, why and when to engage in hand hygiene.
Paul Jakeway, Marketing Director at Deb, comments: “At Deb we partner with healthcare stakeholders to focus on fighting the crucial battle against cross infection. This can be combatted by effectively cleaning the hands at critical times. We support all aspects of the healthcare sector to make important changes in staff behaviour and meet the highest standards of skin care through tailored provision, education, training and a process of – define, implement, empower and embed. We are confident that once delegates visit our stand at IPS they will understand first-hand the full benefits available from the implementation of DebMed® and Optidose and how they too can achieve proven clinical outcomes against HCAIs”.
