NPSA - CQC survey shows patients think hand hygiene of doctors and nurses is improving

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CQC survey shows patients think hand hygiene of doctors and nurses is improving (May 2009)

The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) latest inpatient survey shows continued improvements in patients saying that they think that doctors and nurses always clean their hands between touching patients.

The CQC surveyed over 72,000 people who spent at least one night in a hospital during summer 2008.

The results from this survey overall show significant improvement in the experience of patients in key areas relating to infection control.

Since 2005, when the patients were first asked about if they felt doctors and nurses were washing their hands in between patient contact, there has been continued improvement.

In 2008, 74% of respondents said that as far as they knew, doctors always cleaned their hands – an increase from 67% in 2005. Eight per cent of respondents said that they thought doctors did not wash their hands, which has fallen from 12% in 2005.

Similarly, 76% said that as far as they knew, nurses always cleaned their hands between touching patients, which has increased from 69% in 2005. Only 4% of respondents said that they thought nurses did not wash their hands, which has fallen from 7% in 2005.

For more information on the findings, please read the CQC’s press release or read the results in full.

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