L&D staff pledge to clean supreme

A new campaign has been launched at the hospital this week to bring about a ‘cultural shift’ in hand hygiene.

Led personally by the hospital’s chief executive, Pauline Philip, the campaign is aimed at changing public perceptions and reassuring patients that “all hospital staff clean their hands every time, before and after patient contact”.

Launching the campaign on Monday, she said: “We want to build on our excellent work in tackling infections, including MRSA and C.diff.

“Good hand hygiene is a quality priority at the L&D for 2013. We want to reassure people that they can trust L&D staff to make the commitment to have clean hands at the right time, every time, whenever patients are being cared for.”

Over the coming months, the Hand Hygiene in Partnership Campaign will see the introduction of internationally-recognised assessments, a system to monitor the actions of hospital staff in relation to hand hygiene and signs for staff, visitors and the public about how and when to clean your hands.

Staff have pledged to have clean hands at all times, with medical director Dr Mark Patten saying at the launch: “I welcome any staff member, visitor or patient who challenges me or any other doctor at the L&D about hand hygiene.”

Seminars are planned for staff, and doctors will soon be receiving new uniforms as part of the infection control plan.