NHS Tayside

The main role of the Health Protection Team of the Public Health Directorate, NHS Tayside is to carry out surveillance, prevention, investigation and control of communicable disease across Tayside. In relation to this the Team also provide advice, guidance, information, education and training in the prevention of communicable disease and infections for a wide variety of NHS and non-NHS professionals (including care homes), partners and the general public. Dundee College has worked collaboratively on a number of highly successful initiatives, including the Health Care Academy.

The Cleanliness Champions programme is a work based learning package used to facilitate the transfer of infection control knowledge and best practice, primarily to NHS staff across Scotland. The aim of the programme was to reduce the level of infection in the NHS. In collaboration with the education arm of the NHS, NHS Education in Scotland (NES), and the Tayside Health Protection Team, Dundee College has carried out a pilot exercise to extend the training to the care homes sector and to evaluate the delivery of the Cleanliness Champions Programme in Tayside.

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The Solution

Key to the success of this pilot was the approach which Dundee College developed to support individual learners from private and public care homes to enable them to study whilst continuing to work on a full time basis. The approach delivered was to the benchmark standard set by the NHS and included:

• Dundee College tutors undertook the Cleanliness Champion Training Programme and work placement prior to being allocated a case load of candidates to mentor.
• Material was created to support the transfer of knowledge and to encourage learners to reflect on existing practice.
• 24 participating learners were supported to identify and incorporate planning opportunities for changes of practice resulting from the new knowledge gained.
• All learners had access to their mentor within and outwith the workplace on a continuous basis through a combination of visits, the use of a virtual learning environment (VLE), telephone and e-mail contact.

Despite ongoing challenges faced by organisations releasing staff and being able to allocate “protected”time for study, there was an 87% pass rate within the allocated period of 3 months.

 The impact of the project:

• Increased knowledge and awareness of Care Associated Infection.
• Learners have influenced and implemented change within their workplaces.
• A number of Care Homes have an identified and qualified Cleanliness Champion who has the responsibility for ensuring that infection control training and education is delivered to Care Home staff.
• An identified need for more training.

 What our customer says:

This project was extremely successful and Dundee College’s contribution was endorsed by Shona Halley, Senior Health Protection Nurse Specialist, Health Protection Team NHS Tayside. “Dundee College has once again responded positively to the needs of local businesses by providing an excellent all round service tailored to meet their needs”.