Infection Prevention and Control
Level 4
Torbay Hospital
Lowes Bridge
Torquay
TQ2 7AA
Direct line contact numbers (8.30am to 5pm weekdays).
Tel: 01803 655757 – Infection Prevention and Control Team
Tel: 01803 654990 – Consultant Microbiologist/Infection Control Doctor
Email: Infection Prevention and Control Team
What we do
The Infection Prevention and Control Team provides a broad range of specialist advice and services for Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust staff.
Infection prevention and control pledge:
- We will continue to monitor and advise on Infection Prevention and Control to reduce the risks of patients developing healthcare acquired infections.
- We will undertake investigations on patients that have developed infections ensuring that any learning is disseminated to the correct people and that we continue to learn and improve.
- We will remain transparent and open with members of the public, patients and staff by ensuring information is available on the website.
- We will ensure that any learning or recommendations are available and shared.
- We will support staff in a continuously busy environment to ensure that patient safety is sustainable by being pragmatic.
MRSA, C-DIFF and Norovirus
Staff continually performs infection prevention and control measures which help reduce the chances of infections such as Meticillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), Clostridium Difficile (CDIFF) and Norovirus spreading in the hospital.
This is supported by the World Health Organisation’s Five Moments for Hand Hygiene which informs staff when they should wash their hands.
How you can help
- All patients are given hand wipes to use before eating their meals and those patients who cannot get up to wash their hands after using the toilet / commode are given antibacterial wipes, a practice we aim to encourage.
- All relatives, carers and visitors are asked to wash their hands on entering wards and to use the alcohol hand rub at the main entrance.
The Department of Health (DOH) has set Trusts a target to see a year on year reduction in the number of patients getting CDIFF and MRSA bacteraemia. For the period April 2016 to March 2017 the target was a maximum of 18 for CDIFF. The combined effort by all has meant that the entire Torbay area had lower than expected occurrences of CDIFF for this period.
The team has also advised on the infection control requirements during the new construction of the multi-million pound main entrance and ICU. They are also an integral part of any future capital projects.
To find out more about what hospitals are doing to reduce healthcare associated infections, read the Department of Health’s ‘Clean, Safe, Care’ policy.
Monitoring patient care
As part of the Infection Prevention and Control Team’s day-to-day activity in reducing healthcare associated infections, they undertake daily visits to the clinical areas advising on any infection control issues. Hand hygiene, urinary catheters and intravenous catheters are monitored for good practice on a monthly basis. The team also gives advice on a range of procedures such as the thorough cleaning and decontamination of ward equipment as well as sterile procedures in theatres and outbreak management.
Patient information leaflets
Should you have an infection, the following leaflets are available to give you information on the particular infection and how best to manage it.
If you have any feedback or questions, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.