Focus on infection prevention and control
BCHC's third annual infection prevention and control (IPC) expo took place at Moseley Hall Hospital.
The drop-in event was aimed at colleagues across all clinical divisions and included updates and exhibitions from a range of partners, including equipment suppliers, care home staff and adult social care providers across Birmingham and Solihull.
Interim IPC nurse consultant Lynn Whitehouse said: “It's been a great day, sharing information from colleagues and guests from across the whole integrated care system.
“IPC is important to every aspect of our work - from the health of staff and patients through to the whole environment we work in and the quality and safety of the services we provide.
"It affects everything we do, that's the importance of excellent IPC."
Attendees included IPC champions from right across the Birmingham and Solihull health and care system. BCHC's IPC nurses have trained more than 500 IPC champions, including care sector partners.
IPC champion Melissa Dodds, (pictured above, in "Florence Nightingale" uniform) is a r eceptionist at Bramley Grove Care Home in Yardley Wood, which cares for up to 34 residents.
“The IPC team does a terrific job," she said. "They're always available to offer support and guidance and to update us on any requirements that may have changed.
"They provide great support for the care home sector and they're a pleasure to work with. Keep up the good work!”
Among featured projects was the IPC care home team's Gloveless - Less Gloves initiative, which promotes excellent hand hygiene practice and less use of disposable gloves.
The initiative was recently highly commended for IPC excellence by the Infection Prevention Society and is a finalist in the regional Great British Care Home Award in the categories "care innovator" and "co-production".
The IPC Team is now launching phase two of the campaign, which will feature a suite of "Go Gloveless" posters, promoting appropriate glove use.
The event also showcased the uniform exchange initiative - the brainchild of school health service community staff nurse and IPC champion Ginelle James (pictured, far right), who identified the potential to re-use returned, unwanted or unused clinical uniforms for re-use, rather than being shredded and recycled.
Ginelle received a Learning from Excellence award after launching the scheme in school nursing about 18 months ago.
Now, with the support of the IPC and waste management teams, the scheme is being made available to teams across the Trust.