Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of automated electronic monitoring of hand gel usage as a means of collecting more accurate data on hand hygiene compliance.

NHS Improvement is leading work to drive down healthcare associated infections and as part of this have carried out an early assessment of electronic monitoring of hand gel usage. The technology used in some trusts is currently reliant on local data infrastructure and many existing systems would not be able to support it.

It is important to note that automated monitoring of hand gel and soap usage does not address the correct techniques of hand hygiene by healthcare staff. This is important in reducing the spread of infections. NHS Improvement’s work programme for 2018/19 includes a workstream on hand hygiene compliance and monitoring.

We are working with our partners across the health and social care system, including the Care Quality Commission, to ensure that consideration of best practice in hand hygiene policies remains a focus of inspections in acute trusts.