HAI e-bulletin – June2014
Flying the flag for infection prevention and control
The HAI Team have been out and about at various events promoting infection prevention and control. A presentation at the Infection Prevention Society Scottish branch conference on the Preventing Infections in Care at Home mobile app was well received by the attendees. If you were at the NHSScotland Conference chances are you will have come across the HAI team on the exhibition stand demonstrating hand hygiene and promoting the wide range of educational resources. The team have also been showcasing outcomes from infection prevention and control pilots in care homes and care at home services at the Joint Improvement Team conference ‘Integrating for Better Outcomes’.
The HAI team are also actively supporting the new Standard Infection Control Precautions (SICPs) campaign to raise awareness of infection control among all healthcare staff which was launched by Scotland’s Chief Nursing Officer, Ros Moore. For more information about thiscampaign visit
Key HAI activities for 2014/15
In response to the HAI Task Force Delivery Plan, strategic drivers and feedback from stakeholders, NES HAI Team will be focussing its activities during 2014/15 on the following:
- evaluate impact of existing educational resources
- support for antimicrobial stewardship
- adapt and develop the decontamination e-learning programmes
- support the development of the HAI Quality Improvement Facilitators
- embed Aseptic Technique in practice
- explore, develop and implement sustainability strategies for the Cleanliness Champions Programme
- embed the use of educational resources in care homes and care at home settings
For further information on any of the planned activities or to work with NES to generate case studies around the impact of educational resources in practice, please contact
2014 health board engagement visits
It’s that time of year again and the HAI team are getting ready to hit the road and meet health boards on the annual engagement visits. These visits provide a great opportunity to exchange ideas, network and discuss any local issues with implementation of HAI resources and identify ways in which NES can provide support. Engagement visits are co-ordinated through the HAI Education Leads and Infection Control Managers. If you want to schedule a visit please get in touch. Contact
Needlestick Injury module review complete and new version launched
The Needlestick Injury module hasundergone a thorough review and has been updated to incorporate new legislation and guidance in respect oftheprevention and management of occupational exposure incidents including sharps injuries.The updated module is available on learnPro and is now called NES: Prevention and Management of Occupational Exposure. Further information is available at
Antibiotic Prescribing Modules
Attention Junior Doctors
NHS Education for Scotland has released a new e-learning package on learnPro which offers the most up to date national guidance to support the safe and effective use of gentamicin and vancomycin.
The Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group has expressed the wish that this package is being made available to all junior doctors and other prescribers, as the safe and effective use of gentamicin and vancomycin is a priority area for NHS Scotland.
You can find the modules on learnProunder “More Learning”.
NES: GaV - Gentamicin and Vancomycin
Further information is available at
Quality Improvement in HAI module launched
The module shows learners how simple improvements can be made in the workplace to reduce healthcare associated infections. It provides an overview of the basics of quality improvement and guides learners on how to start improvement work in their own area. You do not require having any experience of quality improvement to undertake this module.
For further information please contact or visit the website at
HAI Quality Improvement Facilitator launch event
The HAI QIF Development Launch event - Making links with national safety developments was held on 6th May 2014 in Edinburgh with 50 delegates in attendance. The event provided the HAI QIFs, Infection Prevention and Control Managers, Scottish Patient Safety Programme Managers and Practice Education Leads a chance to meet, exchange knowledge, share successes in HAI quality improvement and explore development and partnership opportunities.
NES colleagues continue to work with the HAI Quality Improvement Facilitators to provide an educational programme to support their needs with further events and networking opportunities planned. For further information and to see the output from the development launch event visit the website at
Preventing and Controlling Healthcare Infection – Domestic Services Training Guide
NES in partnership with Health Facilities Scotland (HFS) have developed a DVD providing education and training in infection prevention and control and cleaning of the healthcare environment.The DVD was launched at the Facilities Services Information Day in May 2014 and the DVD will be distributed across health boards via Facilities Managers and Infection Control Managers.
For further information please contact: or visit the website at
Aseptic Technique Model Ward
The outcomes from the model ward project at Golden Jubilee National Hospital were presented as a poster presentation at the NHSScotland Conference. Find out more about the outcomes and how the approach could be adapted and replicated in your health board.
For further information please contact or or visit the website at
Patient Safety Fellowship Applications
The Fellowship is open to healthcare staff who currently undertake clinical practice and have a direct influence on improving the delivery of safe patient care, as well as staff in clinical professions who do not currently deliver hands-on care but do have a role in improving patient care or safety. Applications close on 11 July 2014. The application pack is available for download from the QI Hub.
Share Your News
The HAI team welcome the inclusion of news from NHS health boards and other stakeholder organisations. Let us know if you would like something included in the next edition. Contact
Your view matters - it’s time to have your say!
The HAI team are keen to hear from you with ideas on how we can improve the services and educational resources provided to you. It could be related to communication, our web pages, events, the resources themselves – whatever it is we would love to hear your ideas. Get in touch and start the conversation, contact
HAI Team
Dr Gill Walker, Programme Director
Sarah Freeman, Educational Projects Manager
Dr Sabine Nolte, Educational Projects Manager
Elaine Boyd, Practice Education Co-ordinator
Lesley Armstrong, Project Co-ordinator
Maria Khoudary, Project Administrator