Hand Hygiene – Spread the Message Not the Germs

Canterbury DHB is getting behind this year’s Patient Safety Week (PSW 2018) topic of infection prevention and control, with the focus on good hand hygiene.

Effective hand hygiene helps stop the spread of microorganisms (‘germs’), including those that can cause antibiotic-resistant infections.

We encourage you to show your support for PSW 2018 by washing and sanitising your hands regularly, and always after going to the toilet and before eating.

Not just during patient safety week, but throughout the year the Canterbury DHB Infection, Prevention & Control Team works alongside our staff to help prevent healthcare-acquired infections and in doing so, reduces antibiotic use.

Louise Brown from the Infection Prevention and Control Team at Burwood Hospital says this approach underpins all of the work the Infection Prevention and Control Service carries out.

“Prevention of infection measures range from basic hand hygiene of staff and the isolation of patients with high-risk organisms, effective cleaning and disinfection of equipment and surfaces, right through to education, research, surveillance activity and audits.

“Good hand hygiene from patients and staff is the simplest, most effective way to prevent infections and has an important role in reducing antibiotic use,” says Louise.

Each year Patient Safety Week is promoted by the Health Quality & Safety Commission and they have produced some colourful and engaging graphics to help get this year’s message across. For more information on this nationwide initiative you can visit the commission’s website: https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/our-programmes/patient-safety-week/

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