Infection Prevention & Control

Bass Coast Health is committed to detecting and preventing healthcare associated infections for patients, staff and visitors.

The aim of Bass Coast Health’s Infection Prevention and Control program is to implement and monitor infection control strategies and practices on an organisation-wide basis.

The Infection Control Unit provides consultancy, education and systems for the prevention and monitoring of infections.

The unit provides education to all disciplines within the health service and aims to provide staff with information to assist with the prevention and monitoring of infections.

Surveillance of hospital-acquired infections is undertaken by the unit, including the rapid identification of outbreaks and infection clusters among patients and staff.

Hand hygiene is considered the most important procedure in the prevention and minimisation of the spread of infection within healthcare settings. Hand hygiene compliance is monitored within clinical units of the health service. Bass Coast Health performs observational audits that are reported at a national level, three times a year.

The unit liaises with all hospital departments to develop infection control policies and procedures to reduce the risk of infection.

Bass Coast Health promotes a vigorous staff health program focusing on immunisation against vaccine preventable diseases.

The team sends educational messages to the general public via social media during extraordinary events, such as the COVID pandemic.