A surprise inspection has highlighted problems with hand hygiene at Cavan General Hospital in the Republic of Ireland.
The unannounced visit by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) found an increase in the incidence of Clostridium difficile ( C.difficile) due to a variety of factors, including poor hand hygiene.
The unannounced inspection took place on 9 October when staff from HIQA inspected two surgical wards at the hospital. Their findings are detailed in a new report, which described the problems with handwashing as an ‘immediate high risk’ to the health and welfare of patients, staff and visitors.
Following the visit, the hospital acknowledged that the rate of C.difficile infection ‘has been significantly above both the national average and HSE target rates for both 2013 and 2014’.
A failure of good hand hygiene practice cannot be out ruled as a contributory factor
However, managers insisted this was due to the ‘persistent incidence of isolated, unrelated cases’ rather than one major outbreak.
But the HIQA said ‘a failure of good hand hygiene practice cannot be out ruled as a contributory factor’.
And it has ordered the hospital to review the deficits identified during the visit to ensure the risks of the spread of C.difficile and other infections are reduced.
The report reveals that the inspectors also had concerns about the cleanliness of some patient equipment in Surgical Ward 2. And it found ‘unacceptable levels of dust’ in some areas of the ward.
In Surgical 1 the team found opportunities for improvements in the cleanliness of patient areas.
