Oxoid Announces Infection Control Team Awards

Armagh, N. Ireland, UK) for outstanding teamwork and communication, which resulted in good patient outcomes and significant financial savings. The team reduced the rate of Clostridium difficile and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, audited the use of Tazocin, and controlled norovirus outbreaks and endophthalamitis. The team also developed a protocol for decontamination of high-touch surfaces and investigated the role of mobile phones in the transmission of MRSA.

Banso Baptist Hospital (Banso, Cameroon) was awarded second prize. The judges felt that the team had, with limited resources and in a relatively short time, revolutionized standards of hygiene and infection control in the hospital. Levels of cleanliness were raised, waste and sharps management procedures revised, and new equipment installed for waste disposal. Needlestick injuries were greatly reduced, the environment was safer for cleaning staff, and the local community was prohibited access to hospital waste.

The third prize was awarded to the Health Protection Agency, Heart of England National Health Service (NHS) Trust (Birmingham, UK), for responding to negative media coverage the previous year. A media relations campaign highlighted improvements that resulted from revision of infection control policies, a reduction in MRSA and C difficile infections, and increased compliance with hand hygiene policy.

The infection control team at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Sheffield, UK) was highly commended for introducing a ward accreditation program aimed at improving control practices throughout the trust.

Fiona Macrae, clinical applications manager at Oxoid and chairman of the judges commented, "Despite what seems to be almost constant negative media coverage, teams are working tirelessly to improve standards and control infection”.



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