Introduction
Reducing the spread of germs in hospitals, and the number of serious infections among patients is vital for improving patient safety.
Hand decontamination has been shown to prevent the spread of infectious agents in clinical setting for over 150 years.
An Expert Group was established by the NSW Minister for Health in June 2005, to advise on all aspects of preventing and controlling infections. This group identified the need to improve hand hygiene among all healthcare workers.
Good hand hygiene means cleaning using either alcohol-based hand rub or soap-and-water to help stop the spread of germs. By stopping the spread of germs we can reduce infections among patients.
The Clean Hands Save Lives campaign aims to reduce the spread of serious germs, including healthcare associated infections, by increasing good hand hygiene among hospital staff, patients and visitors.
Healthcare associated infections include those caused by germs known as Multiple Anitbiotic Resistant Bacteria (MROs). Click here for more information about MROs.
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