Our infection control campaign: 'This is a clean hand zone'

Chief Executive Matthew Hopkins and Director of Nursing Standards and Quality Assurance Pippa Hart in front of the new infection control campaign posters

We have cut cases of MRSA (bacteraemia) by 75% since 2003-04, and reduced cases of Clostridium difficile from 268 in 2007-08 to 88 in 2010-11.

Now, Epsom, Sutton and St Helier hospitals have renewed their commitment to reducing healthcare associated infections, with the launch of a new campaign.

'This is a clean hand zone' aims to increase awareness amongst patients, visitors, staff and volunteers about what they can do to help further cut the numbers of cases.

The campaign includes hundreds of specially designed posters around the hospitals, floor mats at the entrance to every ward, and giant life-size boards of Chief Executive Matthew Hopkins, joint medical directors Dr Ruth Charlton and Dr Martin Stockwell, and Director of Nursing Pippa Hart.

They focus on the importance of maintaining good hand hygiene whilst in hospital, urging all patients and visitors to:

wash their hands or use alcohol rub before entering and on leaving ward or clinical areas;
ask our staff if they believe they have not washed their hands or if our staff are not bare below the elbows.

The campaign follows significant progress by staff in further reducing healthcare associated infections - our number one priority.

We are determined to further reduce instances of all healthcare associated infections and to reassure our local communities and patients that Epsom, Sutton and St Helier hospitals are safe, clean places in which to receive the very best treatment.