Publish date: 23 November 2023
Northumbria Healthcare’s infection prevention and control team wins national award
A project to limit the spread of infection and keep patients safe at hospitals in Northumberland and North Tyneside has been recognised with a national award.
Northumbria Healthcare’s infection and prevention control team has been awarded a Silver IPS Impact Award for Excellence by the Infection Prevention Society for its work on the FOCUS project.
Infection prevention and control (IPC) is an essential part of the trust’s commitment to delivering the highest levels of patient safety possible. The infection prevention and control team works hard to ensure that patients, carers, and families are cared for in a safe, secure and clean environment.
The FOCUS project involves the infection prevention and control team spending an extended period of time on a ward or department over the course of a week. During this time, IPC staff work alongside teams to provide training, education, and support.
The aim is to foster good relationships with ward and department staff to establish open and honest conversations where both parties feel comfortable raising any IPC concerns.
FOCUS was originally devised by Ruth Henein, Northumbria Healthcare’s head of IPC, and Aimee Joyce, data and information co-ordinator.
The Infection Prevention Society is an independent charity that influences infection prevention and control practice at a local, national, and international level. Their yearly awards recognise and celebrate initiatives undertaken that demonstrate excellence, innovation or improvement in infection prevention and control practice, service delivery or education.
Heather Lawson, who started her career in 1993 as a carer before joining North Tyneside General Hospital as an auxiliary nurse in 1994, is now a specialist infection prevention and control nurse for the trust.
She said: “Infection prevention and control is vital to patient safety and it’s important that it’s taken seriously across the organisation.
“All of the teams that we have worked with on the FOCUS project have been really keen in ensuring their standards are as high as they can be. The project has helped open up dialogues across teams and make sure that patient safety remains at the forefront of everyone’s mind.
“The whole team is delighted to receive this honour. It’s great to be recognised for our continued commitment to infection prevention and control and patient safety.”
Northumbria Healthcare also asks people coming to its sites to play their part. Sinks for handwashing are provided at the entrances to all hospitals and patients and visitors are asked to clean their hands before and after entering each ward with the antibacterial hand gel provided. If you have suffered diarrhoea or vomiting, or have had a cough, cold or flu, please stay away from the hospital until you have been free of symptoms for 48 hours. If in doubt, call the ward for advice.
Media Contact
Christopher Magee, marketing and communications officer, Northumbria Healthcare
Christopher.Magee@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk