UHG fails to hit compliance rate for hand-washing among staff

By Oisín McGovern

Staff in University Hospital Galway have failed to meet compliance rates for washing their hands.

An audit of hand-washing in Irish hospitals showed UHG had an 84pc compliance rate, which is below the minimum 90pc target.

UHG is one of seven Irish hospitals which failed to meet the compliance rate set out by the HSE.

Healthcare staff are obliged to wash their hands with soap and water or alcohol gel in between patients in order to prevent the spread of infection.

The figures come as hospitals are working to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The HSE says “washing hands regularly is the single most effective way to stop the spread of many common infections”.

Staff at hospitals all around Ireland were observed by inspectors as part of an audit conducted between October and December last year.

The worst performer was Cavan General Hospital, where only 75pc of staff were observed to wash their hands between patients.

The best performing public hospital was Cork University Hospital which had a 97.6pc compliance rate.

The overall compliance rate stands at 92.2pc nationally having been as low as 74pc when audits began nationally.

Doctors were found to be the worst performers among healthcare staff with only 85pc washing their hands between each patient. Nurses were the best performers with a 94.3pc compliance rate.