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Monitoring and Regulation

The Health Act 2006 introduced a statutory duty on all NHS organisations to observe the provisions of the Code of Practice on Healthcare Associated Infections (the Hygiene Code). The purpose of the Code is to help NHS organisations plan and implement how they can prevent and control healthcare associated infections. This year the Trust continues with an ambitious program to ensure that the organization remains fully compliant with the Hygiene Code and effective prevention and control of infection is embedded into everyday clinical practice.

Every year the Trust is assessed by the Healthcare Commission, an independent body established to promote improvement in the quality of the NHS. We are assessed on the following two standards:

"Healthcare organisations keep patients, staff and visitors safe by having systems to ensure that: a) the risk of healthcare acquired infection to patients is reduced, with particular emphasis on high standards of hygiene and cleanliness, achieving year on year reductions in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)."

"Healthcare services are provided in environments, which promote effective care and optimise health outcomes by being well designed and well maintained, with cleanliness levels in clinical and non-clinical areas that meet the national specification for clean NHS premises [note: for ambulance services this standard now only applies to its ambulance fleet]."

The Healthcare Commission conduct a number of unannounced inspections throughout the year, to ensure that NHS organisations comply with the Hygiene Code. As part of a pilot project to assess ambulance services, the Trust received a four day visit on the 17th February. No breaches were identified. The full report has not yet been made available to the Trust.

On 1 April 2009 the Care Quality Commission replaced the Healthcare Commission. With effect from this date all NHS Trusts who provide services to patients will be required to comply with new regulations issued under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Act that oblige them to protect patients, staff and others from identifiable risks of HCAI.

The Care Quality Commission Code of Practice forms the basis for monitoring compliance with the regulations. Following publication of the new code during January, the Board were assured of the Trusts compliance. On the 26th March the Trust received formal notification that our application for registration with the Care Quality Commission had been granted unconditionally.

Please use the links below to find out further information:

• Hygiene code inspection report: South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust
• Care Quality Commission
• Care Quality Commission Code of Practice
• Care Quality Commission Certificate of Registration
• Health Protection Agency (HPA)

Trust Headquarters, Unit 3 Abbey Court, Sowton Industrial Estate, Exeter, EX2 7HY, Tel: 01392 261500, Fax: 01392 261510, Email: publicrelations@swast.nhs.uk

Copyright © 2006 South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust