Trust praised for infection prevention and control work
Health Partnerships’ Infection Prevention and Control Team, part of Nottinghamshire Healthcare, was named runners-up at the Schülke Infection Prevention and Control Team of the Year Awards 2015. 
The team was recognised for successfully developing a Link Professional Network. The network supports and enables its members to develop the knowledge and expertise to become local Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) leaders. Members act as a link between their colleagues and the IPC Team, helping to facilitate good IPC practice within their service.
All services within Health Partnerships are encouraged to have a representative within the network. Currently there are 73 members from a wide multidisciplinary background. The model has been developed so successfully that it is now being used by other services within the Trust, including Tissue Viability, End of Life Care and Safeguarding.
Janine Patrickson-Daly, Matron Infection Prevention and Control Service Lead for the Trust, nominated the team.
Janine said: “Although managing a Link Professional Network is part of the IPC service remit, we have developed a model that demonstrates real effectiveness through its active membership, covering a diverse range of specialties across the whole division.
“The link professionals provide evidence of their IPC activity, which supports learning and development of IPC leadership at local level. We have reached a stage, this year, where we had an ‘IPC Link Professional of the Year Award’ to celebrate the success of this very important role.
"Receiving the Schülke award made the effort put in by my team in facilitating the network, all the more worthwhile.”
Schülke are international specialists in infection prevention control. For the past four years they have organised the Hand Hygiene Champion Awards; this year, following feedback that departments preferred to enter as a team rather than individually, they launched the Infection Prevention and Control Team of the Year Awards. The new awards aim to celebrate infection prevention and control success and are open to all teams, surgeries, practices, wards and departments across the UK, both in primary and secondary care.
Meadowcare Nursing Home in Bristol was named this winning Team of the Year, for their rigorous IPC staff training programme. For more information visit www.schulke.co.uk
