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Infection Prevention Service

The Infection Prevention Service at Barwon Health assists with the prevention and monitoring of infections. The service provides advice and education across all Barwon Health sites, which includes University Hospital Geelong, the McKellar Centre, aged care facilities, community and mental health units.

Our goals:

  • To provide a safe environment for our patients, staff and visitors
  • To prevent patients from acquiring preventable healthcare associated infections and effectively manage infections when they occur
  • To educate staff, patients and visitors on their responsibilities relating to infection prevention
  • To promote and encourage hand hygiene in all our facilities
  • To ensure rapid identification and coordination of the management of outbreaks within our facilities
  • To reduce the risk of patients developing and transmitting antibiotic resistant micro-organisms
  • To undertake surveillance activities – if you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it
  • To research and promote evidence-based guidelines and practices
  • To develop infection prevention policies and procedures to reduce the risk of infection

What can I do to help?

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Hand hygiene is the single most important way to help prevent infections in the hospital.

Patients should expect all Barwon Health employees to clean their hand regularly, using either alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. This is especially important before and after they touch a patient, which could vary from a simple handshake to a medical examination or a medical procedure.

Visitors are also expected to clean their hands before coming in to visit patients and when they leave. It is important for visitors to stay away from the hospital if they are feeling unwell to protect patients from any complications.

If we are aware that a patient has an infection, Barwon Health may need to care for them in their own room to reduce the risk of spreading the infection to other patients. Staff may also need to wear additional personal protective equipment, such as a mask or gown to help prevent bacteria or viruses from being transferred to other patients.

 

Last Modified: Tuesday, 12 February 2019

Contact

University Hospital Geelong, Level 6

7.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday

P 03 4215 2320