WHO Ranks Mater Private No.1 for Hand Hygiene

World Health Organisation (WHO ) ranks Mater Private Hospital Dublin No. 1 in Europe for Hand Hygiene Excellence.

The Health Management Institute of Ireland is delighted to congratulate the Mater Private Dublin on this achievement.

As part of the global campaign ‘Save Lives: Clean Your Hands” launched in 2009, the WHO issued a call to action for hospitals to plan actions and track progress towards hand hygiene sustainability. Out of the thousands of hospitals and other healthcare facilities who participated in this global campaign, the Mater Private Dublin was selected as one of the six highest ranking hospitals in Europe.

Recently the hospital underwent the WHO’s European Hand Hygiene Excellence Award Inspection and emerged as the top performing hospital in Europe.

The Mater Private Dublin has consistently come out on top in Ireland in the HSE Hand Hygiene Compliance Audit, achieving first place nationally among the 44 participating acute hospitals.  The hospital believes the achievement of the top place in Europe is a strong endorsement of the HSE Hand Hygiene Compliance Audit. The hospital recorded a compliance rate of 94.8% in the HSE Audit for October 2012, while the average rate of compliance nationally for the period was 84.3%. The HSE requires acute hospitals to undertake biannual hand hygiene compliance audits in seven randomly selected wards and observe 30 opportunities per ward.

Hand hygiene is recognised internationally as the most powerful tool in reducing Health Care Associated Infections (HCAI). MRSA acquisation rates for the Mater Private Dublin are amongst the lowest in Europe. In the past two years, where other hospitals have suffered outbreaks of C Difficile, Norovirus and Influenza, the Mater Private Dublin has had no outbreaks whatsoever. The hospital believes this supports the Department of Health’s message around the hugely positive impact good hand hygiene practice can have on patient safety and quality care.

The achievement of this award reflects the dedication of all staff who will remain committed to this highly proactive approach to infection prevention and control.