DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY

FRIDAY 7 DECEMBER 2007

MCGIMPSEY LAUNCHES NEW HOSPITAL VISITING POLICY

Health Minister Michael McGimpsey today announced a major initiative in the drive to reduce hospital acquired infections.

On a visit to Craigavon Area Hospital, Mr McGimpsey formally launched the Southern Health and Social Care Trust’s Acute Hospital Visiting Policy.

The Southern Trust policy will standardise visiting times and visitor numbers for acute hospitals as far as possible. Special consideration will continue to be given to facilitate flexible visiting times to specialist wards such as the Intensive Care/High Dependency Unit, Children’s Wards, Neonatal Unit, Special Care Baby Unit and Maternity Department.

Mr McGimpsey said: “Whilst a patient is in hospital, receiving visits from their friends and family plays a valuable role in assisting in their recovery. A hospital is however, primarily a clinical environment where the focus and attention must be their safety, treatment and care. This new Visiting Policy has been developed to ensure that there is the appropriate balance and hopefully aid in my drive to prevent hospital acquired infections.

“Visitors to hospitals, as well as staff, play a vital role in combating infections such as MRSA and I would ask all visitors to familiarise themselves with the policy and follow basic hygiene measures such as washing their hands upon entering and leaving wards.”

In September 2007, the Minister set new challenging targets for the reduction of healthcare infections, by March 2009 there will be a 10% reduction of MRSA and a 20% reduction of clostridium difficile.

The Minister continued, “I will be very interested to hear of the impact of this policy in my drive to combat hospital acquired infections and what can be learned.”

Anne Balmer, Chairman of the Southern Trust said: “Our priority is the safe care of patients and ensuring a supportive, caring atmosphere for people when they are at their most vulnerable.

“We need to balance the benefits of visitors against a need to allow patients time to recover from illness or surgery which is why after an extensive review of existing arrangements, the trust will be introducing the revised policy in January.”


NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. A copy of the Visiting Policy is available on Southern Trust website at www.southerntrust.hscni.net or by contacting 028 38613950.

2. An action plan on the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections ‘Changing the Culture’ was published in March 2006. It requires trusts to hold a hand hygiene campaign and produce an annual infection reduction plan.

3. On 10 October 2006 the Health Minister launched the Ward Sisters Charter. The Charter reinforces the role of Ward Sisters in creating a cleanliness culture within the ward environment, and encourages patients and visitors to monitor and report on standards of cleanliness.

4. In October 2005 a three-year strategy to improve the standard of cleanliness in Health and Social Services (HSS) Trust facilities was published. 'Cleanliness Matters Strategy’ encourages Trusts to take a new approach to cleanliness through the development of a 'cleanliness matters' culture Implementation of these principles will allow trusts to demonstrate that their facilities are clean and are being kept clean, ensuring that patients have greater confidence about the cleanliness of their hospitals.

5. In September 2007, the Minister announced his new targets for healthcare acquired infections and launched Northern Ireland's first regional leaflet for patients and visitors on infection prevention. The Minister also commissioned a second independent audit of standards of environmental cleanliness in hospitals in Northern Ireland

6. Infection control in Craigavon Area Hospital – key achievements.