There are a number of areas of good practice to combat the spread of infection at Wishaw General Hospital, according to a report by the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate.
The inspectors’ report, published today, found that staff at NHS Lanarkshire were complying with the majority of measures to protect patients from the risk of infection.
Patients who have contracted infections are being assessed and cared for in isolation facilities, there are good arrangements for the prescribing of antimicrobrial drugs, the infection manual is kept up to date and staff are given healthcare associated infection training.
However the report also identified a number of areas for improvement:
- The monitoring and standard of cleanliness needs to be reviewed
- A system of auditing bed mattresses should be implemented
- NHS Lanarkshire’s staff uniform policy and the use of staff changing facilities need to adhere to national guidelines
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said:
“Tackling healthcare infections is my top priority and I am pleased that this report shows staff at Wishaw General Hospital have made progress in implementing measures to reduce the risk of infection among patients, visitors and staff. However some concerns have been highlighted and I would like to see NHS Lanarkshire introduce the necessary improvements as a matter of urgency to assure the public that they can have full confidence in the cleanliness of our hospitals.”
The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate operates independently of the Scottish Government and the NHS boards it inspects. It carries out both planned and unannounced inspections of hospitals. For administrative purposes, it is based with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.
The inspection at Wishaw General Hospital took place on September 28 and 29.