The Power is in Your Hands
10/10/2014
To mark Global Handwashing Day (Wednesday 15 October) the Southern Health and Social Care Trust is reminding staff, patients, clients and visitors that they all have a role to play in preventing and reducing infection.
This year Global Handwashing Day is celebrating the power that everyone has to save lives and create healthier communities through handwashing with soap. Dr John Simpson, Medical Director for the Southern Trust says: “The Southern Trust continues to have some of the lowest levels of healthcare associated infection. However, as we move into the winter season there is always a greater risk of catching colds, flu, viruses and infections. With more bugs around it is important that we all do our best to reduce the spread and protect those more susceptible to serious complications like older people, young children and anyone with existing medical conditions.”
Colin Clarke, Lead Nurse for Infection Prevention and Control adds: “Simple but thorough hand hygiene is one of the easiest ways to help reduce healthcare associated infections. Effective hand hygiene is always a priority for our staff and Global Handwashing Day is an opportunity for us to highlight this message more broadly. We remind everyone - staff, patients, clients, carers and visitors to please play your small but important part in tackling infection by washing your hands and making use of the hand rub that is widely available throughout our facilities.”
Dr Simpson adds: “Our staff have the most stringent infection control measures in place and we would like to thank the community for their ongoing support in our drive to tackle healthcare associated infection.”
For more information on Global Handwashing Day log on to www.globalhandwashing.org
and to see the recommended Seven Step Handwashing technique for health and social care staff click here.