The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has today published a revised guide to the monitoring programme for unannounced inspections undertaken against the National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections. This guide focuses on the key elements of the 2015 monitoring programme and replaces the guide issued in March 2014.

In May 2009, HIQA produced the National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections to reduce risk and improve patient safety. The monitoring programme allows for unannounced inspections to take place in acute hospitals to monitor compliance with these Standards.

The monitoring programme during 2015 will predominantly focus on the following three areas:
1) Hand hygiene compliance.
2) Cleanliness of the environment and equipment.
3) Effectiveness in implementation and monitoring of infection prevention care bundles.

HIQA’s Director of Regulation, Mary Dunnion, said: “HIQA will continue to monitor the cleanliness of the hospital environment and the effectiveness of the measures to promote hand hygiene performance as before. In addition, the Authority’s unannounced inspections will now monitor hospitals’ effectiveness in implementing infection prevention care bundles.”

Care bundles, a structured collection of evidence-based measures, can reduce the chances of infection occurring from a number of healthcare interventions when used reliably and consistently. Infection care bundles have been recommended in national guidelines to reduce the risk of infection that might occur in patients who have an intravenous line (drip line) or urinary catheter in place to aid in their overall treatment.

Mary Dunnion added, “Healthcare Associated Infections are not an inevitable consequence of healthcare. The 12 Standards, produced by HIQA with the assistance of an external expert advisory group, are designed to encompass all of the key elements that a healthcare provider should have in place to protect patients against the risk of Healthcare Associated Infections.

“Every patient has the right to high-quality healthcare in a safe environment. Our inspections will assess each hospital to see that the recommendations in the national guidelines are met in order to reduce the risk of infection for patients. Each hospital is responsible for developing a quality improvement response to identify and address improvements where there is a non-compliance. Re-inspections may be carried out within six weeks of the first inspection if performance is deemed to be sufficiently poor during inspection. Re-inspection aims to rapidly drive improvements.”

Through its monitoring programme, the Authority aims to provide assurances to the public that hospitals are meeting these standards, and are making all necessary quality and safety improvements required to fully safeguard patients against the risk of infection.

The findings of inspections will be made publicly available and published on the Authority’s website, www.hiqa.ie.

Ends.

Further Information: 

Marty Whelan, Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement, HIQA
01 814 7480 / 086 2447 623 mwhelan@hiqa.ie

Notes to the Editor: 

• Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs) are a significant patient safety issue and represent one of the most frequent adverse events experienced by patients receiving healthcare services. A one-day survey to determine Healthcare Associated Infection rates across European hospitals in 2012, identified that just over 1 in 20 patients on the day in question in Irish hospitals had a Healthcare Associated Infection (a rate broadly similar to other European Hospitals). Research shows that HCAIs can result in patient mortality, prolonged hospital stays, long-term disability, increased resistance of microorganisms to antimicrobial drugs and high costs for patients and their families. The World Health Organization reports an estimated annual cost of approximately €7 billion due to HCAIsin Europe, including direct costs only and reflecting 16 million extra days of hospital stay. ¥ It is estimated that up to 30% of Healthcare Associated Infections are currently potentially avoidable if best practice is adhered to, especially in relation to hand hygiene.
• HIQA has the national statutory role for developing standards for the quality and safety of healthcare services. The National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections (the Infection Prevention and Control Standards) were approved by the Minister for Health and Children in May 2009, and published by the Authority. The Authority has the statutory responsibility for monitoring compliance with National Standards and advising the Minister for Health as to the level of compliance.
• The aim of these Standards, together with the Authority’s monitoring programme to assess compliance with them in public acute hospitals, is to contribute to the reduction and prevention of HCAIs in order to improve the quality and safety of these healthcare services. The Standards also aim to drive a culture of responsibility and accountability among all staff involved in the management and delivery of health and social care services – all of whom must play their part in preventing and controlling HCAIs.

¥ World Health Organization, Health care-associated infections FACT SHEET.