Basic Care Services Networks
Section on the Patient Experience website for members of the networks. Membership is from Trusts active in supporting the NHS Plan to deliver basic care services and provides useful information and resources.
http://patientexperience.nhsestates.gov.uk


cleanyourhands campaign
National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) microsite dedicated to the acute sector cleanyourhands campaign.
Email enquiries: handhygiene@npsa.nhs.uk
www.npsa.nhs.uk/cleanyourhands

COSHH Essentials
A website produced by the Health and Safety Executive that provides advice on controlling the use of chemicals for a range of common tasks and aids compliance with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH).
www.coshh-essentials.org.uk

Clean Hospitals Programme
NHS Estates website that brings together a series of guidance documents concerned with maintaining a clean healthcare environment.
http://patientexperience.nhsestates.gov.uk/

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Northern Ireland)
Telephone: 02890 520 500 (9am – 5pm Monday to Friday)
www.dhsspsni.gov.uk

Health and Safety Executive
Government organisation responsible for regulating risks to health and safety arising from work activity in Britain. The HSE aims to protect people's health and safety by ensuring that risks in the workplace are properly controlled. Telephone: 08701 545500
www.hse.gov.uk

Health and Safety Executive’s Incident Contact Centre
A website that explains how to report an incident in accordance with the Reporting of Injuries, Dangerous Occurrences and Diseases Regulations (1995) and background information about the regulations.
www.riddor.gov.uk

Health Care Standards Unit
Body that develops and maintains the Standards for Better Health, working with the NHS and the Department of Health to ensure the standards are useful to staff and patients.
www.hcsu.org.uk

Health Challenge Wales (HCW)
Launched February 2005, Health Challenge Wales is the national focus of efforts to improve health and well-being. Key themes include infections, smoking, food and fitness, accidents and injuries, alcohol misuse, and mental health.
Email: health-challenge@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: 02920 825793
Post: Health Challenge Wales, c/o Welsh Assembly Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ
http://new.wales.gov.uk/subsite/healthchallenge/?lang=en

Health Development Agency
A national authority that works with key statutory and non-statutory organisations at national, regional and local levels to develop and maintain an accessible evidence base. Also provides guidance on how to translate evidence into practice.
www.hda.nhs.uk

Health Promotion Agency
Run by the Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland, this site is designed to support those working in the areas of health promotion and public health.
www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk

Health Protection Surveillance Centre (formerly the National Disease Surveillance Centre)
Ireland’s specialist centre for surveillance of communicable diseases. NDSC changed its name to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre as part of its move into the new Health Service Executive. The HSE was established on 1st January 2005 with operational responsibility for the running of the health services in Ireland.
www.ndsc.ie

Health & Care NI
Gateway for healthcare in Northern Ireland.
www.n-i.nhs.uk

Healthcare Commission
An independent inspection body for both the NHS and private and voluntary healthcare, which promotes improvement in the quality of healthcare in England and Wales.
www.chai.org.uk

NHS Direct
On-line website and 24 hour nurse and health information service.
Telephone: 0845 46 47
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk


NHS Direct Wales
On-line website and 24 hour nurse and health information service for those living in Wales.
Telephone: 0845 46 47
www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk

NHS24
The on-line website and 24 hour nurse and health information service for those living in Scotland.
Telephone: 08454 24 24 24
www.nhs24.com

NHS Gateway
Provides information about the NHS services in the UK with links to the four countries' individual websites.
www.nhs.uk

NHS Health Scotland
Provides information for improving health in Scotland.
www.hebs.scot.nhs.uk

NHS Litigation Authority
Part of the NHS responsible for handling negligence claims made against NHS bodies in England. Also has an active risk management programme to help raise standards of care in the NHS and hence reduce the number of incidents leading to claims.
www.nhsla.com

NHS National Patient Safety Agency
NHS agency that improves safety and quality of care through reporting, analysing and learning from adverse incidents and near misses involving NHS patients.
Telephone: 020 7927 9500
www.npsa.nhs.uk

NHS National Patient Safety Agency - cleanyourhands campaign
The website explains why the NHS is targeting hand hygiene as a key patient safety issue. It provides NHS staff with a range of tools and techniques for improving hand hygiene, including posters, promotional materials and methods to facilitate patient involvement.
www.npsa.nhs.uk/cleanyourhands

NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency
An executive agency of the Department of Health responsible for ensuring that the NHS makes the most effective use of its resources by getting the best value when purchasing goods and services. The agency acts as a centre of expertise, knowledge and excellence in purchasing and supply matters for the NHS.
Telephone: 0118 980 8600
www.pasa.nhs.uk

Queensland Health Endoscope Reprocessing
Australian government website which provides training in reprocessing flexible endoscopes and accessories.
www.health.qld.gov.au/endoscopereprocessing/default.htm

Scottish Executive Health Department
Telephone: 0131 556 8400
www.show.scot.nhs.uk

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings
CDC is the US federal agency for protecting the health and safety of people in the US. The website provides guidelines for hand hygiene and materials to promote hand hygiene in healthcare settings.
www.cdc.gov/handhygiene

Welsh Assembly Government – Health and Social Care
Email: health.enquiries@wales.gsi.gov.uk
General enquires – Telephone: 029 2068 1239
To contact individuals – Telephone: 029 2082 5111
Post: Welsh Assembly Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ
http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/health/?lang=en

The (UK) Patients Association
Provides news, information plus database of support groups.
Telephone: 020 8423 9111
www.patients-association.com

Association for Continence Advice
Organisation for health and social care professionals concerned with the progression of care for continence.
www.aca.uk.com

Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP)
incorporating the National Association of Theatre Nurses (NATN)
A professional association that aims to enhance perioperative patient care. The website provides guidelines for best practice and access to on-line education for association members.
Telephone: 01423 508079 (Headquarters)
www.afpp.org.uk

Association of Occupational Health Nurse Practitioners
Professional body representing occupational health.
Telephone: 0116 281 3720
www.aohnp.co.uk

British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
Organisation dedicated to improve nutritional care.
www.bapen.org.uk

British Association of Occupational Therapists and College of Occupational Therapists
Professional association and trade union for occupational therapists, with information on training, careers and professional issues.
http://www.baot.org.uk/

British Institute of Cleaning Science
An independent, professional and educational body for the cleaning industry, that aims to raise the status and standards within the industry, through education.
Telephone: 01604 678710
www.bics.org.uk

British Medical Association
Information about UK healthcare with a comprehensive links section plus a link to the British Medical Journal with a search facility of its archive.
Telephone: 020 7387 4499
www.bma.org.uk

British Orthodontic Society
A scientific and political organisation that represents orthodontists in the UK.
Telephone: 020 7837 2193
www.bos.org.uk

British Society of Gastroenterology
Professional body representing gastroenterologists.
www.bsg.org.uk

Central Office for Research Ethics Committees
Aims to provide information for patients, public and those professionals undertaking or considering research.
www.corec.org.uk

Central Sterilizing Club
A professional organisation that takes its membership from microbiologists, infection control nurses, sterile services personnel, engineers, industry and anyone who has an interest in decontamination.
www.csc.org.uk

Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
A professional organisation that supports its members in developing and promoting high quality innovative patient care. The website provides information for the public and physiotherapists.
www.csp.org.uk

Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association
Professional body representing nurses and health visitors working in primary and community healthcare.
Telephone: 020 7505 3000
www.amicus-cphva.org

European Forum for Hospital Sterile Supply
An international organisation that aims to share information and advice about the decontamination of re-usable medical devices, and to develop worldwide educational programmes between its affiliated members.
www.efhss.com

Hand Hygiene Liaison Group
A multidisciplinary group that promotes best practice amongst healthcare workers to improve compliance with hand hygiene standards.
www.handhygiene.co.uk

Hospital Infection Society
UK society that aims to advance the knowledge and education of those who have an interest in hospital infection.
Telephone: 020 7713 0273
www.his.org.uk

Infection Control Nurses Association
Professional body representing those both working in the field and with an interest in infection, prevention and control.
Telephone: 01506 811077
www.icna.co.uk

Institute of Decontamination Sciences (IDSc)
Formerly the Institute of Sterile Services Management (ISSM), this educational organisation organises and initiates training programmes to achieve standards of excellence amongst sterile services staff.
www.idsc-uk.org

International Federation of Infection Control
A federation of societies concerned with infection control worldwide. This federation aims to reduce or minimise hospital acquired infections by developing a network of infection control organisations for communication, consensus building, education and sharing of expertise.
www.theific.org

International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene
An international group of hygiene experts that raises awareness of the role that home hygiene plays in preventing infectious disease, and promotes understanding of good hygiene practice.
www.ifh-homehygiene.org

Orthodontic Technicians Association
Professional body representing orthodontic technicians.
www.orthota.co.uk

Primary Care Society for Gastroenterology
Professional organisation that facilitates networking for those involved in the management of gastroenterological disorders in primary care.
www.pcsg.org.uk

Royal College of Midwives
Professional body representing midwives.
Telephone: 020 7312 3535
www.rcm.org.uk

Royal College of Nursing
Professional body representing nurses working in acute, primary and community healthcare.
Telephone: 020 7409 333
www.rcn.org.uk

Royal College of Physicians
Professional body representing medical physicians.
www.rcplondon.ac.uk

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Professional body representing paediatricians.
Telephone: 020 7307 5600
www.rcpch.ac.uk

Tissue Viability Nurses Association
Professional and political organisation for tissue viability nurses.
www.tvna.org

Tissue Viability Society
A charity that aims to disseminate information, promote research and increase awareness of all aspects of good clinical practice in wound prevention and management.
www.tvs.org.uk

US Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN)
Professional organisation of perioperative registered nurses who support registered nurses in achieving optimal outcomes for patients undergoing surgical and other invasive procedures. AORN promotes quality patient care by providing its members with education, standards, services and representation.
www.aorn.org/default.asp

Bandolier
Evidence-based healthcare site with a links section.
www.jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier

British Association for Sexual Health and HIV
Professional association that promotes education on genito urinary medicine, HIV and other aspects of sexual health.
www.bashh.org

British National Formulary
Searchable on-line BNF.
www.bnf.org

eGuidelines
Lists new or updated guidelines from NICE, professional bodies and other sources.
www.eguidelines.co.uk

Hand Hygiene Resource Centre (HHRC)
A project of the Saint Raphael Healthcare System (in New Haven, Connecticut, US) that aims to advance the quality of patient care and reduce infection by improving hand hygiene practices in healthcare settings. The website provides educational materials designed to promote awareness.
www.handhygiene.org

King’s Fund
Independent charity with emphasis on health service management, with an extensive links section.
www.kingsfund.org.uk

National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Surveillance Unit
The unit’s website summarises research and provides background information about CJD and other human spongiform encephalopathies.
www.cjd.ed.ac.uk

Patient Group Directions
Centrally maintained archive of patient group directions developed for use in specific localities.
www.groupprotocols.org.uk

Prodigy
Supported by the Department of Health it has a section for nurse prescribers, including guidance on antibiotic prescribing, the formulary, and information on professional development.
www.prodigy.nhs.uk

Q-Net
Company-sponsored website providing questions and answers in the fields of infection control and flexible and rigid endoscopy.
www.myendosite.com/index.asp

Queensland Health
Website by the Queensland government in Australia on a wide range of health related issues.
www.health.qld.gov.au

Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network
Aims to improve the quality of healthcare for patients in Scotland via the development and dissemination of national clinical guidelines.
www.sign.ac.uk

The Law Society of Northern Ireland
www.lawsoc-ni.org

The (UK) Patients Association
Provides news, information plus database of support groups.
Telephone: 020 8423 9111
www.patients-association.com


TSO
The Official Documents website published by The Stationery Office on a broad range of subjects including the economy, work and welfare, health, transport and the environment.
www.official-documents.co.uk  

UK Medicines Information
National medicines information site including new products, trials, product updates and therapeutic guidelines.
www.ukmi.nhs.uk

Public domain photo libraries where nurses can download images for educational purposes, or obtain images for largely reduced fees.

Public Health Image Library (PHIL)
PHIL is an extensive collection of still images, image sets, and multimedia files related to public health.
phil.cdc.gov/Phil/default.asp

The Wellcome Trust Photo Library
A medical photo library covering the history of medicine, modern biomedical science and clinical medicine, which  offers preferential rates for images used for academic/personal research or lectures. Pricing covers a material cost, and post and package charges.
www.medphoto.wellcome.ac.uk