Preventing infection (2024)

Infections can be spread by anyone, so we all need to careful. There a simple things we can all do to stop germs spreading.

Washingand cleaningyour hands thoroughly and regularly is the best way to stop infections in their tracks:

• Wash or sanitise your hands every time you enter and leave a ward or clinic.
• Wash or sanitise your hands with soap and water after visiting the toilet, after changing a nappy, before and after preparing food (raw meat) before eating , after coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose.

Alcohol-based hand rubs are very effective at killing germs but they are not a cure for all and is not effective against Norovirus (diarrhoea and vomiting) infection. Please try to wash your hands regularly using soap and water.

• Keep your hands and body clean.
• Bring in your own toiletries - do not share or borrow.
• Wear slippers when walking around the wards. This keeps your feet clean so that bacteria or other germscannot be transferred from your feet to the bed.
• Do not sit on other patients’ beds – this provides an ideal opportunity for bacteria to spread.
• Don’t clutter - keep your locker top and bed table free of clutter to help our housekeeping staff keep areas clean.
• Tell staff immediately if your dressing becomes loose or wet, or a wound or intravenous drip site becomes sore or painful.
• It’s ok to ask – our staff have high standards, but if you have any worries or concerns during your time in hospital, please speak to one of our colleagues.
• It’s okto ask our colleaguesif they have cleaned their hands before they examine you.

For information on managing the spread of specific infections, please see our specific infection control patient information leaflets.

• We encourage you to wear a mask on our sites, unless exempt. This reduces germs spread by droplet transmission e.g. coughing, sneezing, singing and talking.
• Do not visitif you are unwell or have had diarrhoea, vomiting or symptoms of flu within the last 48 hours
• Do not eat at the bedside or sit on the bed whilst visiting patients.
• Don’t clutter - help staff to keep areas clean by only bringing essential items into the hospital and taking things home that are not required
• Do not touch patient’s wounds, bandages / dressings, or medical equipment
• Please use the public toilets, not the toilets dedicated for our patients.
• If you are visiting a patient with an infection then always check with ward staff that it is okay to do so and check what you can do to reduce the spread of the infection.
• If you test positive for Covid-19 following your visit,please inform the nurse in charge of the department visited as soon as possible.

Tohelp stop the spread at Royal Surrey, we focus on:

• Hand hygiene including visual prompts and alcohol sanitising foam available at the point of care, within each bed space.
• High standards of cleanliness of both the environment and patient equipment - our matrons matrons oversee the cleaning of clinical areas, and regular audits are carried out to make sure high standards are being maintained .
• Preventative measures which includes reviewing cases of infection to identify any learning, audit and training.
• Regular review of invasive devices, such ascatheters and drips
• Isolation of patients with infections to minimise the spread to other patients

Effective infection prevention and control helps us to provide ahigh-quality health service by:

• Reducinginfection-related harm
• Providinga safe environment for patients and staff
• Reducingthe length of hospital stay

• Focusing on hand hygiene, including visual prompts and hand hygiene facilities positioned at entrances to the hospital and ward areas

• Focusing on high standards of cleanliness - our matrons oversee the cleaning of clinical areas, and regular audits are carried out to make sure high standards are being maintained

• Care for patients with high risk infections e.g. TB, chicken pox, flu, COVID etc. in single rooms

• All our colleagues wear facemasks in clinical areas,

The Infection Prevention and Control Team provides day-to-day advice for patients and staff. They ensure a co-ordinated approach to infection control. There is an annual programme of work, in line with the Health and Social Care Act (2008) code of practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance. The team reports regularly to the Trust Board.