Whether Chemical Hazard or Infectious Disease, Report Illustrates that HPA North West Staff are ready for the Challenge

13 June 2008

In an initiative to combat Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs) such as MRSA and Clostridium Difficile, nurses from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) North West have developed an infection control training resource for staff in residential care homes.

Details of the initiative, which has been developed in partnership with Primary Care Trusts and the Commission for Social Care and Inspection (CSCI) are described in the HPA North West annual report for 2007-2008, which is published today and available on the Agency’s website. It can be accessed on:

http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1195733799435?p=1158945065208

“Infections such as MRSA can pose serious problems in close-knit communities, such as residential care homes, so infection control training for staff in these establishments is vitally important,” said Professor Qutub Syed, Director, HPA North West.

“Our training pack enables staff to be trained in their workplaces, without the need for time away from the vulnerable people they care for. Senior staff are trained in the first instance and they assist in training their colleagues.”

The training pack was successfully piloted in Greater Manchester and has now been adopted in care homes in Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside.  It has been designed to complement rather than replace other training packages, such as a distance learning course provided by the National Patient Safety Authority.

The annual report also reveals that:

• An HPA North West-led Prison Network Group is developing a plan for dealing with outbreaks of disease in prisons; helping to facilitate Chlamydia screening in prisons; working to increase uptake of hepatitis B vaccination amongst new prisoners; and ensuring that offenders are included in local care pathways, with particular regard to hepatitis C.
• The North West is one of two regions testing a new national web-based TB information system. It aims to provide information on TB at local, regional and national level that is timely, relevant and accurate, so that disease trends and treatment outcomes can be more easily monitored.
• Greater Manchester Health Protection Unit (HPU) is continuing to work with the University of Manchester and two PCTs on a pilot scheme to test uptake rates and parental views on the forthcoming HPV vaccine.

 

“These are just a small number of the initiative described in our annual report. From TB to Port Health and dealing with chemical and environmental hazards, we have developed skills, programmes and levels of expertise that enable us to give our NHS and local authority partners top quality support, advice and information” said Professor Syed.

“We are also strongly placed to give the public the advice and information they need to protect themselves and their families from harm and ill health.

“Protecting the public is a 24/7 job and we are constantly faced with new threats and challenges, but I believe that our annual report demonstrates that our staff have the knowledge, skill and dedication to meet these challenges and any demands that the future might bring.”

Note to editors

Press release issued by Hugh Lamont, HPA North West Communications Manager, on 0151-482-5728 or 07764-906508.

Last reviewed: 14 January 2009