Infection Prevention Solutions
Liquid soap products containing antibacterial agents (as are widely available in supermarkets) are not necessary for routine hand decontamination and should be avoided in health care environments. Some soap formulations are also available as foams. These are acceptable. Alcohol based hand sanitiser (gel/rub/foam) Alcohol-based hand sanitiser products – usually gel / foam are currently recognised as being the primary method of hand decontamination for most health care interventions where rapid hand decontamination is required at the point of use. Alcohol-based products are also useful where adequate facilities are not available e.g. when caring for service users in their own homes. Alcohol is inactivated in the presence of organic matter i.e. body fluids etc. and therefore is not to be used on soiled hands. The emollient added to some alcohol sanitisers to counter the drying effect of the alcohol can build up on the skin and some manufacturers recommend that hands are washed with soap and water when the hands feel sticky or after a maximum of 5–10 applications of products to remove residues. Alcohol-based products should be purchased from an approved supplier of medical products e.g. NHS Supply Chain thus ensuring that an appropriate product suitable for healthcare activities is supplied and of the required strength (usually 70%) and type (usually isopropanol). Alcohol products should be used from wall-mounted dispensers (see below) or can be provided for individual staff use in bottles (“tottles”) that can be attached to uniforms thus ensuring that the product is available at the point of care. Alcohol is not as effective as soap and water in removing Clostridiodes difficile spores or some viruses including Norovirus and must therefore not be used whilst caring for service users with diarrhoeal illness. Antiseptic detergent products (e.g. Chlorhexidine, povidone iodine) These products are designed for use when a higher level of antimicrobial kill is required e.g. when it is necessary to remove / reduce resident as well as transient micro-organisms. This is usually only necessary prior to surgical procedures and certain high risk invasive procedures. Hand wash facilities: Soap and alcohol containers / dispensers All soap and alcohol products should be dispensed from a sealed container which delivers a measured amount of product. The nozzle must be cleaned regularly to prevent clogging and contamination. Open containers and refillable containers must not be used as they can become contaminated with micro-organisms.
Sample Issue Date: 01/10/2022 Review Date: 30/09/2024
Hand Hygiene Infection Prevention Solutions ©2022 Page 4 of 14
