Summary: This page focusses on how we can maintain good hand hygiene in the practice.
Who’s it for: All staff
If you experience any kind of skin problem or irritation, speak to your Line Manager who can refer you to Occupational Health
When should we wash our hands?
There are five key moments that we should perform hand hygiene in the practice:
For more protection, you should also wash your hands:
- After removing Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- During daily activities (e.g., before starting and after leaving work, before contact with food, after using the toilet)
- Before and after handling medicines and patient samples/specimens
- After cleaning
- Before and after leaving isolation rooms (see Isolation policy for infectious disease for more information)
- Any other time you think necessary
Methods of hand hygiene
We use both routine and surgical hand washing methods in the practice:
- For routine hand washing, use soap and water. This method should be used before and after any social contact and most clinical care activities
- For surgical hand washing, use antiseptic soap (e.g., HiBiSCRUB). This method should be used during invasive procedures (e.g., minor surgeries such as incisions, injections into joints)
Antimicrobial-impregnated wipes should only be used for hand hygiene as a last resort
How to wash your hands
Please make sure that a poster similar to the one above is displayed next to all sinks that are used for hand washing
How to use hand rubs
Alcohol-based hand rubs can be used as an alternative to soap and water for routine hand washing
Only a small amount of hand rub should be used (around 3 mL)
Do NOT use alcohol hand rub if hands are dirty or visibly soiled, or if you are dealing with a patient with C. difficile or another diarrhoeal illness (e.g., Norovirus)
After using a hand rub, make sure that your hands are fully dry before carrying out any patient procedures
Additional advice
- Use an emollient hand cream regularly
- Try to keep your nails short and clean, and avoid wearing nail varnish or artificial nails
- When providing patient care, we should follow the ‘bare below the elbows’ dress code
- Cover any cuts or lesions with a waterproof dressing
‘Bare below the elbows’ policy: your hands and arms up to the elbow should be free from any clothing and jewellery
If you have any questions or concerns with any of these infection control policies, please let your Line Manager know or tell us here
Resources: