Healthcare A2Z : Ten recommendations for further sources

	Name	Objective	Weblink
1	The Health Act 2006: Code of Practice for the prevention and control of healthcare associated infection	Helps NHS bodies to plan and implement how they can prevent and control healthcare associated infections. Focuses on ensuring patients are cared for in a clean environment where the risk of healthcare associated infections is kept as low as possible.	Access at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications-PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4139336

2	Epic 2: National Evidence-Based Guidelines for Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections in NHS Hospitals in England	Updated February 2007, these national guidelines provide comprehensive recommendations for preventing HCAI in a variety of care settings and are based on the best currently available evidence.	Access at: http://www.epic.tvu.ac.uk/PDF%20Files/epic2/epic2-final.pdf

3	Essential steps to safe, clean care: reducing healthcare-associated infections	Seven infection prevention and control action areas for PCTs. Contains self-assessment and action planning tools for community settings.	Access at: http://www.clean-safe-care.nhs.uk/public/default.aspx?-level=2&load=Tools&NodeID=125

4	Cleanyourhands campaign	National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) campaign to minimise the risk to patient safety of low compliance with hand hygiene by healthcare staff.	Access at: http://www.npsa.nhs.uk/cleanyourhands

5	NRIC: the National Resource for Infection Control	A project developed by healthcare professionals, designed to be a single-access point to existing resources within infection control for both Infection Control and all other healthcare staff.	Access at: http://www.nric.org.uk

6	Infection control e-learning programme for NHS staff	A guide for all staff working in the NHS - both clinical and non clinical - delivered in an engaging on-line environment where staff can learn at their own pace.	Access at: http://www.infectioncontrol.nhs.uk/-lms/frontdoor/loadframes.asp

7	National specifications for cleanliness	With the recent withdrawal of the NHS Cleaning Manual, these specifications provide a comparative framework within which hospitals and trusts in England can set out details for providing cleaning services and assessing â€˜technicalâ€™ cleanliness.	Access at: http://www.npsa.nhs.uk/patientsafety/improvingpatientsafety-/cleaning-and-nutrition/national-specifications-of-cleanliness/

8	Clean Safe Care website	A hub for healthcare staff to access information, tools for Saving Lives and Esssential steps and news about reducing healthcare associated infections (HCAI) and providing safe, clean, reliable healthcare.	Access at: http://www.clean-safe-care.nhs.uk

9	HAI & Infection Control Resource Centre	Developed by Healthcare A2Z in partnership with Health Protection Scotland, a dedicated resource centre containing a selection of practical free-to-download job-related resources covering hand hygiene and personal protective equipment.	Access at: http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/haiic/ic/resourcecentre.aspx

10	WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care (Advanced Draft)	Consensus from international experts and up-to-date technical information on hand hygiene improvement within a healthcare context across the world. At advanced draft stage and due for final publication.	Access at: http://www.who.int/patientsafety/information_centre/-Last_April_versionHH_Guidelines%5b3%5d.pdf