Managing and leading the infection prevention initiative

To review the national response to health care-associated infection and that of nurses in particular.

Health care-associated infections have emerged as a significant threat to quality care and preventing it is now a national priority.

This paper considers the key government initiatives to address health care-associated infection.

The government has adopted a multifaceted approach to tackle this problem, the most crucial of which was to develop the evidence base to support practice. Now that is established, education and training have become the next priority.

While health care-associated infection remains a government priority, trusts will find it difficult to meet the demands of the Code of Practice and fulfil other government priorities.

Managers need to be aware of the extent of the problem, its causes and the initiatives both nationally and locally to address the situation so that they can maintain support for these initiatives.