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06 April 2006

Oxoid Infection Control Team of the Year 2005/2006 Winners Announced

Oxoid are pleased to announce that the 2005/2006 Oxoid Infection Control Team of the Year Awards, with £5,000 first prize, has been awarded to Craigavon Area Hospital Group Trust, Co Armagh, N Ireland.

1st Prize, £5,000: Craigavon Area Hospital Group Trust, Co Armagh, N Ireland
The judges were unanimous in awarding the first prize to Craigavon Area Hospital Group Trust, whose outstanding teamwork and communication has resulted in both good outcomes for patients and significant financial savings. 

The team’s many positive outcomes included: intervention programmes resulting in reduced rates of Clostridium difficile and MRSA infections; a six week audit of the use of Tazocin® to reduce unnecessary usage (thus achieving substantial savings in the drug budget); investigation and successful control of outbreaks of Norovirus, endopthalmitis and MRSA; development of a protocol for the decontamination of high touch surfaces; research into the carriage of MRSA on mobile telephones (where a paper has been published in the January 2006 issue of the Journal of Hospital Infection).

The judges were also impressed by the team’s participation in national and international initiatives, including the Royal College of Nursing’s “Wipe It Out” campaign and the World Health Organisation’s Global Safety Challenge.

In summary, the judges felt the entry demonstrated a real commitment to team working and provided hard evidence of successful initiatives in a wide variety of areas.

2nd Prize, £1,000:  Banso Baptist Hospital, Cameroon
The entry from Banso Baptist Hospital in the Cameroon highlighted infection control problems that are very different to those encountered in Western hospitals.  The judges felt that the team had, with very limited resources and in a relatively short timescale, revolutionised the standards of hygiene and infection control in this hospital.  Levels of cleanliness were raised throughout the entire hospital, following the introduction of a “Sanitation Trophy” initiative, which was adopted wholeheartedly and enthusiastically by the staff.  Waste and sharps management procedures were reviewed and revised and new equipment installed for the disposal of waste.  These measures not only resulted in greatly reduced needlestick injuries amongst staff, but provided a much safer environment for hospital cleaners and prohibited access to hospital waste by the local community. 

3rd Prize, £500: Health Protection Agency, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, England
The judges felt that, faced with negative media coverage, multiple outbreaks of Norovirus, high MRSA bacteraemia rates and increasing levels of C. difficile infection in the past year, this team had responded magnificently. Their entry demonstrated positive outcomes in many areas including:  a media relations campaign highlighting the improvements made that resulted in favourable local press, radio and TV coverage; revision and relaunch of key infection control policies; a reduction in MRSA bacteraemia rates and C. difficile infections, and increased compliance with hand hygiene policy.

Highly Commended:  Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, England
The judges wished to highly commend the infection control team at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for their introduction of a ward accreditation programme, aimed at improving infection control practices throughout the Trust.  The judges felt that this concept, of embedding infection control in every clinical ward, was an admirable and innovative approach.

Commenting on this year’s judging, Fiona Macrae, Clinical Applications Manager, Oxoid and Chairman of the Judges, said, “We are encouraged by the high standard of entries received from infection control teams around the world.  Despite what seems to be almost constant negative media coverage, teams are working tirelessly to improve standards and control infection.  Our judging panel wished to commend all entrants on the very high standards achieved.”

To register for information on how to enter the 2006/2007 Oxoid Infection Control Awards please contact Val Kane tel: +44 (0) 1256 841144, fax: +44 (0) 1256 329728, Email: val.kane@oxoid.com