'Safe-hands' Alec supports hygiene campaign
October 29th 2008

Earlier this month Sodexo Healthcare teamed up with former England cricket captain Alec Stewart, to launch the new phase of its hand hygiene campaign, ASK, at Queen’s Hospital in Romford. Alec joined Sodexo Healthcare staff and members of the Trust’s infection control team, to demonstrate the seven steps to effective hand hygiene to Queen’s Hospital staff, patients and members of the public.

Alec and the team invited people to take a hand cleanliness test with a hand-scan device, then provided them with a 'seven steps to hand hygiene' information card and a takeaway sample of anti-bacterial hand gel. Sodexo and the Trust aim to reiterate why good hand hygiene is still a critical factor in reducing the risk of hospital associated infection.

Since introducing ASK in 2004 to educate healthcare staff in effective hand hygiene practices, Sodexo says it has regularly updated the campaign’s training procedures and supporting materials in accordance with the latest NHS guidelines on infection and contamination control. This year, the ASK campaign will widen its focus to include the education of visitors to the healthcare environment.

“I hear and read so much about the work done to combat hospital associated infection," says Alec. "However, it wasn’t until recently that I realised just how much hand hygiene links into that effort. Sodexo’s campaign is a great way to make sure that all of us follow clear hand hygiene instructions. I will definitely be putting into practice what I have learned every time I visit a hospital in the future.”