Approximately 160 frontline healthcare workers will commence a four-day infection prevention and control course today in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). A one-day hand hygiene workshop will also be held in the College on this week. Both courses are coordinated by RCSI and the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

The infection control course, entitled ‘Safe Patient Care: Healthcare-associated Infection Prevention & Control for All: A Foundation Course', has taken place every September since 2010. The course costs each participant just €100, thanks to the support and commitment of RCSI and the HPSC and also because lecturers give freely of their time and resources. In addition, both organisations subsidise the course to ensure that it can take place each year. 

The hand hygiene workshop, which will run on Thursday, 5 September, is aimed at healthcare professionals who have responsibility for hand hygiene education, training and monitoring. Claire Kilpatrick and Julie Storr, consultants to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Patient Safety Programme are facilitating this course. Participants will also hear from Ann Higgins, Infection Prevention and Control Nurse at the Mater Private Hospital, which received a WHO European Excellence Award for Hand Hygiene in 2013. This workshop is free to participants due to the support of RCSI and the HPSC.