Infection control nurses get a helping hand

Date published: 21/03/2006

Infection control nurses at Rochdale Infirmary have unveiled their latest ally – a friendly bug named Billy.

The character will star in a ‘mini-soap opera’ for hospital radio, with a message aimed at patients, seeking their help in encouraging visitors to use the handrub on the wards.

The campaign involves a four short scenes in which Billy Bug tries to gain access to a hospital – but comes a cropper because of the handrub.

The idea was developed by the nurses to support their Clean Your Hands campaign.

The voices for characters were provided by some of the infection control teams, including Louise Dickinson, nursing consultant in infection control for Pennine Acute Trust, which runs the hospitals.

Louise said: “Handrub dispensers are installed across our hospitals, and we feel that the campaign to date has done a good job in raising general awareness of the issues, both among staff and among patients and visitors. We now really want to drive home the message to visitors that it is of absolute importance that they use the rub.

“We have a number of ways of doing that, and this ‘mini-soap’ will leave patients with no doubt that they can play their part by encouraging their visitors to use the handrub. We have put up lots of signs, and obviously staff have been promoting the handrub heavily, but it’s much more effective if the request to visitors also comes from the patient who they’ve come to see.”

The slots each last around 60 seconds, and are designed to be played through the course of a radio programme. Birch Radio, who provide the broadcasts to the Infirmary have agreed to play them.

Louise said: “We’re really grateful to the Birch Radio for their support. Hospital radio is the clear number one choice for patients, and it offers us a perfect opportunity to get this message across. Cutting the risks of infection is a team game, and we’re really pleased to have hospital radio on our side.”

“It didn’t take us too long to record the pieces, although we did need a couple of takes - let’s just say that Terry Wogan makes it all seem much easier than it actually is!”

It is thought that the move is the first of its kind in the country, and the recordings are to be offered to hospitals across the UK through the hospital radio network.