DOCTORS ARE the least likely hospital staff members to wash their hands, according to a new Health Service Executive report on hand hygiene compliance.
In an audit of hand hygiene in 42 acute hospitals carried out last October, doctors washed their hands on 68 per cent of the opportunities open to them. Auxiliary staff, such as healthcare assistants and porters washed their hands 79 per cent of the time and nurses and midwives did so almost 84 per cent of the time.
Other healthcare staff, including social workers and physiotherapists, washed their hands most frequently – almost 85 per cent of the time.
All four groups had improved their hand-washing since the previous audit in June. But the same could not be said for all of the hospitals.
The survey, collated by the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre, showed hand hygiene compliance at seven hospitals had disimproved. These included Waterford Regional Hospital, Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital in Dublin, Louth County Hospital, Dundalk and the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore. The report noted that “small differences between facilities” and from one audit to another “may not be statistically significant”.
All of the hospitals in the HSE West area had improved their performances since June, but some were coming from a lower starting point.
A spokeswoman for the HSE said the report showed an overall compliance rate of 79.6 per cent, above the 75 per cent target for 2011. The target for this year is 85 per cent.
Assistant national director of health protection with the HSE Dr Kevin Kelleher said improving hand hygiene compliance was a priority.
Auditing overall hygiene standards at hospitals remains a function of the Health Information and Quality Authority.
