How can you help us to fight infection?

To protect yourself and reduce spread, please do not visit any area where there is an outbreak of infection in an area, for example of diarrhoea or vomiting,

If you are unwell, particularly with symptoms of diarrhoea or vomiting, please do not visit any inpatient or clinic areas until you have been symptom free for 48 hours. Contact the clinic or ward directly for further advice about visiting or attending a clinic.

Hand hygiene

The best way of preventing infection passing from one person to another is by cleaning our hands. We use posters to remind everyone about the importance of hand hygiene.

Please clean your hands on entry and exit from our inpatient wards to help prevent the spread of infection. Hand hygiene facilities are available for visitor use at the entrance to our wards. These facilities will be either a hand wash sink or hand sanitiser. Information on the correct way to wash your hands can be viewed here. 

Why should you wash your hands?

Hand washing prevents germs being brought into the hospital environments from outside. Washing hands properly with soap and water can help protect not only patients but you, your family and others.

It's okay to ask if you think we have forgotten to clean our hands

Patients and carers should not be afraid to ask healthcare staff if they have cleansed their hands prior to provision of care or treatment. We encourage you to ask staff if you feel they have forgotten to do this. Please ask a member of staff if you would like to clean your hands and have been unable to do so.

Help us by getting vaccinated

General information on vaccinations can be viewed here. 

Flu

In the flu vaccination season we offer vaccination to patients resident in our wards who are unable to receive their vaccine with their GP and meet the national criteria as set by Department of Health each year. We advise all patients to have a flu vaccine either as an inpatient or in the community.

We run an annual flu vaccination campaign for our staff, offering vaccination to all to protect both them and our patients from flu infection.

Please help the fight against flu infections by taking up the opportunity to be immunised if you are offered a flu vaccine.

Advice for patients If you are a patient or you are going to be a patient and you have worries or concerns about any infection control issues, please speak to ward/clinical staff and if they are unable to help, please ask them to contact the Infection Control Team.

Useful information on common infections can be found at Public Health England site and on the NHS Choices​ site.

Health care associated infections

Health care associated infections are infections acquired in hospitals, or as a result of healthcare treatments. Examples include: diarrhoea, vomiting, flu, MRSA and Clostridium difficile.

Everyone has a role in reducing the spread of infection. It is important that patients, staff and visitors work together to reduce the risk of infections and to maintain a clean and safe hospital environment.

As a patient you can help by:

  • Washing your hands carefully with soap and water after using the toilet and before meals (staff should also wash their hands before having direct contact with you)
  • Only bringing essential items of property when coming into hospital
  • Keeping your room tidy and uncluttered so that domestic staff can clean more easily
  • Making sure personal toiletries are for your use only, and are stored in your room.  
  • Expecting your room to be cleaned daily
  • Telling the nurse in charge if you are concerned about cleanliness
  • Let staff know immediately if you have diarrhoea or vomiting or feeling unwell with symptoms of infection such as s sore throat, cold and flu like symptoms

As a visitor you can help by

  • Washing your hands before and after visiting or  using alcohol hand-gel when you enter and leave our buildings and wards
  • Avoid visiting if you are unwell
  • Not bringing food into the ward without arranging this with the nurse in charge
  • Telling the nurse in charge if you are concerned about cleanliness

We can all help by using antibiotics properly

Antibiotics treat infections by killing bacteria, but bacteria are fighting back meaning medicines become less effective. This is known as antibiotic resistance. We can take simple steps to save our antibiotics from becoming resistant.

  • Take antibiotics  exactly as prescribed
  • never save them for later
  • never share them with others

Read more at:

Statement of compliance

We have a number of infection prevention and control policies and procedural documents to support safe and effective care. Within this suite of documents is the NSFT policy for the screening of newly admitted patients for Meticillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA).

All patients admitted to NSFT, whether on an elective or emergency basis, will have an assessment of risk to identify if they have clinical conditions in their physical health that may indicate a higher risk or susceptibility to developing MRSA infection. Those patients identified through this assessment, which is informed by Department of Health criteria, will be offered screening for MRSA, and any treatment required will be provided.

Our aim is to ensure that patients, their families and the wider communities we serve feel reassured by the positive steps we have taken to provide safe and effective healthcare.

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