If You Care About People, You Care About Hygiene - Royal Institute of Public Health, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Caregivers / Homecare;  Primary Care / General Practice;  Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 24 Jul 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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The Royal Institute of Public Health has launched a new Level 2 qualification in Decontamination, specifically intended for those working in care settings, such as care homes, day centres, nurseries and GP surgeries.

Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, chair of the Royal Institute and President-elect of the Faculty of Public Health comments: "We've all heard the scare stories about catching infections in hospital, but it is less well known that we are also vulnerable on our regular visits to the doctor or dentist, or even to pick up our children from nursery."

New figures from the Health Protection Agency show that the level of Clostridium difficile infection, a form of gastroenteritis which often follows treatment with antibiotics, is increasing, and last year affected some 55,000 elderly people. And there are still nearly 7000 cases of MRSA reported annually.1

RIPH believes it is vital that the staff who work in thousands of care homes, childcare facilities and other healthcare settings understand the risks to themselves and the people for whom they care if standards of cleanliness are not properly upheld. And employers in these markets are painfully aware not only of the serious threat to people's health, but also of the damaging legal action that can result from low standards of cleanliness.

Professor Maryon-Davis adds, "This topic is high on everyone's agenda, and we believe that this qualification gives employers in health and social care settings a really practical and effective way to control infection."

RIPH's new Level 2 Award in Decontamination in Health and Social Care Settings reflects national occupational standards. It offers knowledge and understanding of infections in healthcare settings and how they are spread, enabling care workers to maintain a clean and safe environment.

Anyone interested in offering this qualification to their staff or students should contact Tony Varey at the Royal Institute of Public Health or see their website http://www.riph.org.uk.

1 HPA Press Release 26 April 2007

-- The Royal Institute of Public Health was founded in 1886. Based in London, it is a leading independent body with an international reputation dedicated to the promotion, practice and protection of the highest standards of public health.

-- It offers a wide range of public health related qualifications delivered through an extensive network of training centres nationwide.

-- The Royal Institute enjoys the patronage of Her Majesty The Queen, an honour that has been conferred by the Sovereign continuously since 1897. The Royal Institute is a Registered Charity.

Royal Institute of Public Health

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