Healthcare Associated Infection

Introduction

 

What is an HAI?

Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) are infections acquired in the hospital or other healthcare setting.  Infections are caused by germs such as bacteria, fungi or viruses entering the body. They can be minor and stay in one area, like a boil or a chest infection or they can spread throughout the body, like 'flu or septicaemia (blood poisoning).

HAI is not unique to hospitals and may affect people in care homes, GP practices or dental practices. Examples of HAIs include MRSA and the winter vomiting bug.

 

NHS Education for Scotland – HAI Team

Working with key service stakeholders, NHS Boards, Health Protection Scotland (HPS), NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS) and Health Facilities Scotland, (HFS) the NES HAI team leads the educational elements of the Scottish Government’s   HAI Task Force delivery plan on the prevention and control of infection.

 

The Scottish Government is supporting the third phase of work with funding of £54million over three years (2008-2011), the biggest ever budget for HAI in Scotland.  This will encompass a wide range of measures to tackle HAI including the roll out of a national MRSA screening programme, a new target to reduce Cdiff by 30% and a zero tolerance approach to healthcare staff that don’t follow hand hygiene rules.

 

The Cleanliness Champion Programme continues to develop and as well as the core programme, versions are available for medicine and dentistry.

Another strand of our work in HAI education is the development of education programmes to support the Scottish Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan 2008. 

 

2008 saw the launch of the Decontamination Education Programme for Primary Care, which was a joint initiative between NS and HPS.  NES is also working on the educational elements for endoscope decontamination.

 

A number of specific tutorials are available these include, MRSA, and catheter-related blood stream infections.

 

 

 

 

 

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