Page 1977 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 5 June 2018
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ACT Health has made other improvements in relation to infection control indicators, including updating its risk register with respect to legionella management. Additionally, health infrastructure services have completed a comprehensive water management plan to consolidate current and future planned activities in relation to legionella risk mitigation. An example of this ongoing work is the extensive refurbishment and redesign of water systems pipework on levels 6 and 7 of building 1 at Canberra Hospital that has been underway as part of the UMAHA program of works.
The national standards 3 committee is briefed monthly on the progress of all works associated with the water management plan, and it is important to note that the risk of legionella at Canberra Hospital is very low due to the continued focus on water quality.
In relation to hand hygiene rates across Canberra Hospital and Health Services, I am pleased to note that these rates have improved and are significantly above the national benchmark. However, the rates for doctors are lower than for other healthcare workers. To address this core criterion, targeted initiatives to increase hand hygiene rates for doctors have been introduced and will continue. This has resulted in improved rates for the first audit of 2018. Further audits are underway to ensure sustained improvement outcomes now and into the future.
Overall compliance with dating of the peripheral intravenous cannulas, PIVCs, was 74 per cent at the time of the ACHS survey. This was an improvement from previous audits. However, it also represents an expectation of ongoing improvement. ACT Health is implementing actions, including staff education and training, to improve compliance of dating PIVCs to reach 100 per cent over time.
I understand that the interim director-general has written to staff this week reminding them of their obligations with regard to complying with hand hygiene standards and the correct dating of PIVCs. Staff have been informed that this is considered a performance issue.
To improve hygiene around linen, a new cleaning schedule for the linen storeroom, inclusive of dust mitigation, has been implemented, and an additional soiled linen pick-up from clinical areas has been put in place.
ACT Health recognise that further work is needed in the kitchen; so a work plan has been developed and is being implemented to upgrade the kitchen to provide improved access, including uni-directional work flows to enhance food safety practices.
Following a food safety audit in August 2017, there has been ongoing action to improve general cleaning in the kitchen. This includes the implementation of cleaning schedules and other actions to improve kitchen equipment and occupational safety issues, including those which are identified in the survey report.
Food safety at the hospital is a priority and the actions from the audit are now 95 per cent complete. To ensure an appropriate standard of hygiene in the kitchen, an industrial clean has also been undertaken in the Canberra Hospital kitchens.
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