Our approach to Infection Control

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust > Our Patients & Visitors > Before you arrive > Infection Control > Our approach to Infection Control

Infections acquired in hospital or other healthcare settings are an important concern and making every effort to minimise these is a top priority for the Trust.

As well as preventing infections such as MRSA and clostridium difficile, we work hard to minimise other healthcare establishment-based infections such as chest infections, urinary infections and infections in surgical wounds.

Our ongoing initiatives to reduce/prevent cross infection include:

• Promoting hand hygiene compliance for staff, patients and visitors – hand wash sinks are available throughout wards and departments
• We actively promote the use of alcohol hand gel/sanitiser in all clinical areas by staff, patients and visitors – alcohol gel/sanitiser is also situated at the bedside
• As a trust we have strict quality control measures in place to ensure the food served to our patients is of the highest standard
• Ensuring visitors make use of the chairs provided rather than patient beds
• We have invested in hydrogen peroxide machines to help to decontaminate ward areas
• Rapid MRSA screening technology, which gives a result in less than 70 minutes.

For more information about Infection Control at our Trust click here.