title: HCAIs: statutory code of practice in England and Wales.
abstract: Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) such as Meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile (C. dif) are never far from the media headlines. In January 2006 a leaked memo identified the government's concerns that its target of halving MRSA infection rates by April 2008 may not be met (Boseley 2007). During 2004-5, 30 people died following two outbreaks of C. dif at Stoke Mandeville (Boseley 2007). In this article the author will focus on and discuss in detail key components of the new Code of Practice on Health Care Associated Infections (DH 2006a) to show how legislation has provided the framework to ensure that not only do NHS bodies have a duty to comply with this Act but so do we as practitioners.
authors.affiliation: Crawley Day Surgery Unit, Crawley Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gilmour
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006285:Health Planning / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D009871:Operating Room Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus; D013222:State Medicine / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology