Surgical site infection surveillance

OneTogether is a partnership between the leading professional organisations; Infection Prevention Society, Solventum, Central Sterilising Club, Association for Perioperative Practice and College of Operating Department Practitioners with an enhanced interest in the prevention of Surgical Site Infections (SSIs). Their mission is to promote and support the spread and adoption of best practice to prevent SSIs across the surgical patient pathway. By connecting interested professionals in surgery, infection prevention and key industry partners for the healthcare community, the objective is to strive to improve overall patient care.

The scene was set by Joanne Taylor, the Deputy Director of Infection Prevention and Infection Prevention Consultant Nurse from the Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust together with the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. Joanne spoke to delegates on the need for an explanation of what surveillance helps professionals do and for patients to understand. She had titled her talk 'What surveillance is and where to start' to emphasise that she would explain the basics. She identified that surveillance is a term from French, using 'sur' meaning over, and 'veillance' to watch.

The reasons we need to watch over our post-surgical patients is to gain a baseline to ensure that their wound is not changing and therefore might possibly be harbouring the beginnings of an infection. The baseline enables review of whether it is necessary to change practice in some way to prevent future infections. SSIs are defined by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)based on definitions established by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).¹