Hospital trust praised for winning infections battle

The Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust was highlighted for its lead in infection control and prevention by Professor Brian Duerden, the key speaker at a conference attended by infection control experts from across the country.

As one of eight showcase hospitals in the country which are at the forefront of all new advances in infection control and prevention, the trust is among specially selected hospitals which test the latest technologies and products before they are approved for all NHS hospitals.

Mr Duerden, key speaker at a Showcase Hospital Conference at the Galpharm Stadium in Huddersfield, said it was good to see the trust taking such a strong lead in the field – traditionally taken by the bigger, city, teaching hospitals.

The inspector of microbiology and infection control at the Department of Health said: "It pleases me greatly that the trust became a showcase hospital. It breaks the mould and shows it is not just teaching hospitals which can deliver innovation at this level and with such success.

"That is great credit to everybody not just the infection control teams but all clinicians, all non-medical staff and management. We cannot take our eye off this. There are still patients getting infections and every one of those is a disaster for the patient concerned so we have to keep up the pressure to avoid and prevent them."

The conference was hosted by the trust and attended by 100 of the NHS's infection control experts from across the country.

Organiser Jean Robinson, the trust's lead infection control nurse, said it was proud to be at the forefront of developments.