Care homes – hand hygiene is crucial for infection spread reduction

Staff should be trained in the use of soap and water say Department of health

Guidance from the Department of Health and Public Health England provides vital information for all workers in care homes with regard to controlling and preventing infection in care homes.

In the section Hand Hygiene, the Guidance states that there is one activity that is “widely acknowledged” to be the most important measure that can be undertaken in order to control and reduce the spread of infection in the care home environment.

Worryingly, says the guidance, available evidence has suggested that there are two major types of problem amongst care home workers with regard to hand hygiene: “many care workers do not decontaminate their hands when required nor use the correct technique.”

Hand hygiene at the point of need

The Guidance states that “Staff should be trained in the use of liquid soap and water” and that “alcohol hand-rubs are not suitable for use on hands that are dirty, contaminated and soiled.”

The provision of appropriate hand washing facilities is as important as hand washing techniques.

“Hand hygiene facilities that include, as a minimum, a hand wash basin, supplied with hot and cold water, (preferably via a mixer tap), liquid soap and disposable paper towels, should be available and easily accessible.”

Guidance – Care homes: infection prevention and control »

The prefect mobile hand washing facility for care homes

The TEAL WashStand portable hot water hand wash unit has been designed specifically to meet the requirements of the home care situation. Hand hygiene can me provided quickly and easily with a minimum of fuss, thanks to the easy to use and easy to move nature of WashStand portable sinks.

Featuring low friction wheels and convenient handle, it can quickly and easily be guided straight to where a hot water hand wash is needed – wherever the bed bound or incapacitated patient may be.