Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's infection prevention and control team wins national award

Northumbria Healthcare’s infection and prevention control team has been awarded a Silver IPS Impact Award for Excellence by the Infection Prevention Society for its work on the FOCUS project.

The team works hard to ensure that patients, carers, and families are cared for in a safe, secure and clean environment.

The FOCUS project involves the infection prevention and control team spending an extended period of time on a ward or department over the course of a week. During this time, IPC staff work alongside teams to provide training, education, and support.

The aim is to foster good relationships with ward and department staff to establish open and honest conversations where both parties feel comfortable raising any IPC concerns.

FOCUS was originally devised by Ruth Henein, Northumbria Healthcare’s head of IPC, and Aimee Joyce, data and information co-ordinator.

Heather Lawson, a specialist infection prevention and control nurse for the trust, said: “Infection prevention and control is vital to patient safety and it’s important that it’s taken seriously across the organisation.

“All of the teams that we have worked with on the FOCUS project have been really keen in ensuring their standards are as high as they can be. The project has helped open up dialogues across teams and make sure that patient safety remains at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

“The whole team is delighted to receive this honour. It’s great to be recognised for our continued commitment to infection prevention and control and patient safety.”