The development of a minimum dataset audit tool for Scotland's NHS Hand Hygiene Campaign

Hand hygiene compliance is considered to be an essential element in the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections (HCAI). The options for promoting and evaluating compliance have been debated and a range of approaches are both recommended and used in practice. Audit is commonly used for monitoring compliance and a number of hand hygiene audit tools are available. From these, varying compliance rates have been widely published. A tool for mandatory auditing in Scotland, as part of their national Hand Hygiene Campaign, was deemed appropriate. The involvement of the Nurse Consultant Infection Control from the Health Protection Scotland's (HPS) infection control team (ICT) as clinical lead in the Scottish Hand Hygiene Campaign meant that the team had responsibility for developing a tool that would meet the needs of both national and local data collection and reporting. After a review of available tools and a consultation period with identified stakeholders, both an electronic and paper audit tool have been developed and made available to Scottish NHS boards. Evaluation of this tool will be carried out after completion of the planned Hand Hygiene Campaign in March 2008.