Infection Prevention Control Annual Report 2023_24
Executive Summary
This Annual Report highlights Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust’s (BHT) commitment to patient safety through robust infection prevention and control (IPC) practices. It also demonstrates adherence to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulations, specifically the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, regulation 12 (2)(h) and regulation 15 (2).
The Trust’s proactive approach to IPC, integrated into service planning and patient care delivery, underscores its commitment to patient safety. The increasing complexity of patient needs due to an ageing population and higher co-morbidities further highlights the importance of preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections (HCAIs) and antimicrobial resistance.
The Infection Prevention Control Team (IPCT) is expanding its collaborative efforts with the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and other partners across the Integrated Care System (ICS), placing a strong emphasis on sharing information and best practices to enhance patient care.
During 2023/24, the Trust responded to concerns about the high number of E. coli cases (79) by conducting a deep dive. It was identified that the main source was lower urinary tract infections. Prevention of urinary tract infections through appropriately managing indwelling urinary catheters will be a priority next year. The trust has made notable progress in reducing C. difficile (CDI) cases, with only 36 cases identified against a target of 49. The ongoing commitment to antimicrobial stewardship remains strong, and significant strides have been made in decreasing CDI rates through effective collaboration among IPC, antimicrobial stewardship, and clinical colleagues, providing a sense of security about our efforts in reducing CDI rates.
A back-to-basics campaign was launched, which focused on hand hygiene, cleaning, screening programs, vascular access devices, and urinary catheter care. The early adoption of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) is a significant milestone in improving the ability to learn from incidents and implement preventive measures.
Despite many successes, persistent challenges are related to the built environment. Specifically, there is a lack of available single rooms for appropriate isolation of infection risk and measures to prevent airborne infections and minimise cross-infection and outbreaks.