All 49 hospitals fail Hiqa infection controls

Of the 49 hospitals inspected by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) since Nov 2012, not one was fully compliant with infection control standards, and practices in 13 hospitals posed “serious risks”.

Hiqa has published an overview report of its hygiene inspections in public acute hospitals between Nov 2012 and Dec 2013.

Of the 1,500 hand-washing opportunities for hospital staff observed during those inspections, only 69% were taken. Furthermore, in nine of the hospitals inspected, 50% or less of the hand-washing opportunities that were taken complied with best practice. Staff did not take long enough to clean their hands; did not perform the technique properly; or were wearing a wrist watch, jewellery, or had long sleeves.