Infection Control Matters12 Marras 2025

Reducing harm at the Front Line: Oral Care driving down C. difficile and Line Care - the Power of Better Data

In this episode, Martin spoke to the authors of two compelling posters showcased at the 2025 Infection Prevention Society Conference in Brighton, each discussing practical, data-driven approaches to reducing avoidable harm. Download the posters and have a listen to two authors with a passion for their projects.

First, Catherine Lemsalu, a Dental Nurse from the IPC Team at University Hospital Plymouth discusses her quality-improvement work on an acute stroke ward, demonstrating how structured mouth-care assessment, targeted staff education, and consistent daily oral care contributed to reductions in non-ventilated hospital-acquired pneumonia and Clostridioides difficile infections. Her poster highlights how simple, early interventions—done well—can strengthen antimicrobial stewardship, improve patient outcomes, and build ward-level capability through mouth-care champions.

We then explored the development of a national surveillance framework and digital tool for vascular access device–related bloodstream infections (VAD-BSI) with Sue Rowlands from The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. Their multidisciplinary initiative has created a standardised, user-friendly approach to classifying VAD-BSI, identifying risk factors, and generating automated visual outputs that support local reporting, audit, and education. Early pilot data show strong usability, enhanced insight into bloodstream infection epidemiology, and meaningful impact on line-care practice.

Posters can be downloaded here:

Reduction of hospital-acquired pneumonia and Clostridioides difficile infections through focused line care

Developing a surveillance framework and digital tool for Vascular Access Device-Related Bloodstream Infections (VAD-BSI): improving patient safety through local data and national insight

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4 Marras 16min

The Beautiful Game of Infection Prevention: Can leadership lessons from the world of soccer help?

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21 Loka 28min

Cleaning is Patient Safety: Empowering the People Who Keep Hospitals Safe

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8 Loka 19min

Evidence or Efficiency? How We Make IPC Decisions

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24 Syys 24min

RCTs in Infection Prevention and Control - Are we getting the evidence that we need?

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9 Syys 22min

Who Do You Listen To? The Hidden Influencers of Hand Hygiene

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26 Elo 12min

C. difficile: Follow the Faeces

In this episode of Infection Control Matters, Brett and Martin talk to Professor Tom Riley about why we need to look well beyond the hospital to understand where Clostridioides difficile comes from. T...

12 Elo 18min

WISDOM: Using AI to Prioritise Surgical Wound Review

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29 Heinä 34min