In July 2006 PSCA International connected with the current agenda concerning the reduction of HCAI across all NHS bodies. We invited leading figures from across the DH, Healthcare Commission, Hospital Infection Society and others to use the conference as a platform to disseminate current infection prevention and control policy and practice.



Having successfully achieved this, Public Service Events will host another national event on 2^nd May 2007 for all medical and clinical directors, directors of infection prevention and control, clinical microbiologists and senior infection control personnel across all NHS bodies.



The conference plenary sessions will include key figures across the DH, HPA and Healthcare Commission providing an in-depth analysis on the content of the code of practice, the practices required to meet its requirements and the necessary cultural and behavioural changes trusts need to meet their challenge.

In particular, the event will focus on the three significant themes within the code.

• Management, organisation and the environment
• Clinical care protocols
• Healthcare workers

The purpose of the conference is to facilitate debate and allow clear guidance as to how NHS bodies can ensure full compliance to the code whilst planning and implementing strategies to control HCAI.


Health - Public Service Review: Health, due to increasing popularity, has returned to a quarterly edition, whilst still attracting top-level editorial from the people who count in the NHS and beyond. [read more]


Issue 10

Foreword: Ivan Lewis MP, Minister for Care Services

  › View Foreword & Contents

Testimonials from this year's event;

Murray Devine, Safety Strategy Lead Healthcare Commission:
"Congratulations on delivering a well managed event on a topic of crucial interest to both patients and the providers of healthcare. A feature of the day was that delegates were drawn from a wide range of organisations, resullting in useful debates both following the formal presentations and during the stimulating informal discussions in-between sessions."

Dr Peter Wilson, Consultant Microbiologist, UCLH:
"MRSA and C. difficile are currently high on the agenda of most chief executives thanks to the Department of Health initiatives in mandatory surveillance and control measures. For MRSA, these have been backed up by Improvement Team visits with some success. MRSA rates are falling in a number of trusts. C. difficile may be an even greater challenge and team visits are likely to start soon. The Infection Control meeting on 2nd May brought together the leaders in the implementation and surveillance arms of the Department of Health nosocomial infection programme. Infection Control Practitioners were able to ask direct questions of those who could provide a direct answer. There were also representatives from a variety of companies who demonstrated new methods and equipment that can help practitioners deliver improvement targets in their own trusts. These kind of meetings need to be held around the country to keep the momentum in reducing hospital infection."