Local NHS Trust supporting National Infection Control Week

To help celebrate National Infection Control Week 2014 (20-26 October 2014) staff at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust have organised a series of information events to raise awareness of the importance of preventing infection.

National Infection Control Week is designed to raise awareness of how to prevent the spread of healthcare associated infections such as MRSA and clostridium difficile.

To support staff the infection prevention and control team at the Trust are holding interactive sessions in Barnsley and Wakefield to give staff the opportunity to ask questions and find out how they can help prevent the spread of infection.

The team will also be on hand to demonstrate safe hand washing techniques, advise how to clean medical equipment effectively and provide information on how to control any potential infection breakout.

Alison Thomas, lead infection prevention and control nurse at the Trust said, “We are committed to providing a clean and safe environment for all of our service users. This week is a great opportunity for us to reaffirm this commitment and to remind our staff and patients of the importance of good hand hygiene.

“By taking these steps we can help prevent the spread of healthcare associated infections, such as MRSA or norovirus. We are also working closely with our staff to ensure as many of our staff as possible are vaccinated against influenza in preparation for the winter flu season.”