Information for Consumers / Patients
About VICNISS |
Healthcare Associated Infection Fact Sheets |
Useful Website Links
About VICNISS
The VICNISS Healthcare Associated Infection Surveillance program is a Victorian government funded initiative established in 2002.
Its role is to assist Victorian hospitals to collect and interpret information about hospital associated infections. This will help
hospitals carry out appropriate and targeted strategies to reduce these infections.
The VICNISS Coordinating Centre is the main point of contact for the VICNISS program, and is responsible for coordinating
various surveillance activities throughout Victorian hospitals.
These consumer fact sheets have been developed to support the messages on healthcare associated infection contained in the
NHMRC Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (2010). They aim to inform patients,
visitors, families and carers about healthcare associated infection, what activities healthcare facilities may have in
place to make sure infections are prevented as much as possible and what they can do to limit the spread of infections.
There is a vast amount of information available on the internet in relation to healthcare associated infections.
Some information may not be accurate. When visiting these sites ensure the information provided is from a reputable source.
Below are some examples of websites designed for consumers by healthcare professionals.
- Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare (2010)
www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/cd33syn.htm
These guidelines provide recommendations that outline the critical aspects of infection prevention and control.
The recommendations were developed using the best available evidence and consensus methods by the Infection Control Steering
Committee. They have been prioritised as key areas to prevent and control infection in a healthcare facility.
- Better Health Channel
www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcsite.nsf/pages/bhc_aboutus?open
The Better Health Channel was established in May 1999 by the Victorian State Government. Information is provided to help
people stay healthy or understand and manage their health and medical conditions. It does not replace care provided by medical
practitioners and other qualified health professionals.
- Hand Hygiene Australia
www.hha.org.au/ForConsumers.aspx
Hand hygiene contributes significantly to keeping patients safe. It is a simple, low-cost strategy to prevent the spread
of many of the microbes that cause healthcare associated infections (HCAIs). While hand hygiene is not the only measure to
counter HCAIs, it can dramatically enhance patient safety. Improving the hand hygiene of healthcare staff is one of the most
effective ways of preventing and reducing the spread of HCAIs.
- MyHospitals
www.myhospitals.gov.au
MyHospitals is an Australian Government initiative to inform the community about hospitals by making it easier for people to
access information about how individual hospitals are performing.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) USA – Healthcare-associated Infections (HAIs)
www.cdc.gov/HAI/patientSafety/patient-safety.html
Be informed. Be empowered. Be prepared. This website details ten things everyone –you, your healthcare providers, and your
visitors, can do to be a safe patient and help prevent HAIs.
- Prevent Infection
www.preventinfection.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Information_Center
Prevent Infection is run by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), USA.
It provides simple and clear information about infections and hand hygiene and a range of resources on healthcare
associated infections.
- National Patient Safety Foundation
www.npsf.org/paf/
The National Patient Safety Foundation, Boston, Massachusetts, USA has been pursuing one mission since its founding in 1997 –
to improve the safety of care provided to patients. As a central voice for patient safety, NPSF is committed to a collaborative,
inclusive, multi-stakeholder approach in all that it does. NPSF is an independent, not-for-profit organization.
- NICE guidance for patients and the public
www.nice.org.uk/patientsandpublic/index.jsp?action=guidancesearch
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is an NHS organisation based in London and Manchester,
UK. NICE was set up on 1 April 1999 to ensure everyone has equal access to medical treatments and high quality care from the NHS -
regardless of where they live in England and Wales.