NGH Shortlisted for National Patient Safety Award

The infection prevention and control team NGH has been shortlisted for a national award for its work to protect patients from infection.  

The HSJ Patient Safety Awards recognise, reward and thank healthcare services, teams and individuals who put the safety of patients first.  The awards are independently judged by experts from across the healthcare sector and demonstrate extraordinary progress being made by teams to deliver and improve safe care.

The team at NGH are finalists in the Infection Prevention and Control Initiative of the Year category for the work they have done to improve topical prophylaxis compliance in surgery.

Wendy Foster and Holly Slyne, from the infection prevention and control team explained: ‘Our aim was to protect patients from MRSA and prevent infections by encouraging our doctors to administer topical prophylaxis to patients, usually via an antimicrobial nasal ointment and body wash.  Now more than 75% of patients on our surgical wards receive topical prophylaxis to help protect them from infection.  A number of people were involved in the project and it’s pleasing to see everyone’s efforts recognised not only by a reduction in infection and improved efficiency, but also recognition at a national level at these Awards.’

The finalists are scored against five criteria: ambition, outcome, spread/potential elsewhere, value for the patient experience and involvement when they present their project to a panel of expert judges in London.  The winners will be announced at the prestigious Patient Safety Awards ceremony in Manchester on Tuesday 2 July.