Help to keep our vulnerable patients, as well as you and your families, safe from colds, flu, Covid and norovirus around our hospitals with the correct hand hygiene processes. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water.

To reduce the spread of germs everyone needs to remember effective Infection Prevention Control methods:

  • Wash hands regularly
  • Always wash your hands before and after patient contact
  • Use hand sanitiser when moving around wards and departments
  • Remember 'bare below the elbows' and no stoned jewellery or watches and hair tied back
  • Use personal protective equipment correctly – wear the right protection for the right task
  • Cleaning reusable equipment reduces infection transmission.

Norovirus alert:

  • Hand hygiene: Soap and water for 20 seconds – alcohol gel alone isn't enough!
  • Isolation and cohorting: New diarrhoea and/or vomiting - isolate immediately, inform IPC, Red clean after step-down. Cohort only when IPC advises
  • PPE: Always wear gloves and aprons when caring for someone with norovirus. Risk assess for additional PPE (surgical face mask if vomiting) or splashing is anticipated. Remove PPE and wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds
  • Testing: Send stool samples for norovirus PCR and CDT in separate containers
  • Staff sickness: If symptomatic - stay home for 48 hrs after symptoms resolve
  • Environment and equipment: all surfaces can transmit norovirus.

 Respiratory virus surge 

  • Vaccination: If you haven’t had your flu jab, consider getting it now - click here
  • Testing: Swab all symptomatic respiratory cases on admission and any inpatient with new onset of symptoms
  • Treatment: Start Oseltamivir immediately while awaiting PCR (flu cases only, as per formulary)
  • Flu Prophylaxis: IPC will advise on exposed contacts
  • Transmission-based precautions: Use droplet precautions (surgical face mask, visor, gloves and apron)

Environment and equipment

  • Clean the environment and equipment - stop infection in its tracks, every wipe counts.

The risks requiring you to wear gloves are:

  • If direct contact with blood, bodily fluids, mucous membranes, or non-intact skin is likely
  • If contact with chemical hazards or harmful drugs is likely
  • If caring for a patient requiring specific IPC transmission-based precautions.

Usage of gloves outside of these requirements increases the risk of infection transmission as it acts as a barrier to performing appropriate hand hygiene.