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Healthcare associated infection (HAI)

The Welsh Government requires all health boards in Wales to monitor healthcare associated infections, through surveillance. The HARP programme carries out this surveillance on behalf of the Welsh Government and the NHS in Wales. Test results from patient samples are reported by laboratories across Wales. The HARP program has access to the test results, which they analyse and use to produce data dashboards of trends.

Bacteraemia

Bacteraemia occurs when bacteria (bugs) enter the bloodstream. This can lead to infections in other parts of the body, including life-threatening sepsis. Hospital infection prevention measures, such as hand washing and cleaning, aim to prevent patients from contracting bacteria.

The HARP programme works with Welsh health boards to reduce the risk of patients developing bacteraemia in hospitals and other healthcare settings.

Clostridioides difficile

Clostridioides difficile (or Cdiff) is a bacterium (bug) that can cause diarrhoea and other serious gut diseases. It  usually affects people who have recently taken antibiotics. Infection prevention activities in hospitals, like hand washing and cleaning, try to stop patients from picking up bugs like Cdiff. Changes in antibiotic prescribing also aim to prevent patients from catching Cdiff.

The HARP programme collaborates with Welsh health boards in Wales to reduce the risk of patients developing Cdiff in hospitals and other healthcare settings.

Surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance

The Welsh Surgical Site Infection (SSI) surveillance programme was set up in 2003 to estimate the risk of infection after surgery, specifically after hip and knee replacements. Expansion of the SSI programme in 2006 enabled SSIs to be determined after Caesarean section surgery. In 2018 a pilot was conducted to look at SSIs after colorectal procedures, but these infections are not yet monitored at a national level.

Data are collected on all elective (planned) and emergency procedures and for readmission / revision surgery (hip and knee procedures). Data collected includes demographic details of the patient, information around the procedure itself and care of the patient after surgery, including details on wound infections that develop, i.e. infections at the site where the skin has been opened to carry out the necessary operation. As part of the programme, we conduct analysis of the data, report on infection rates and trends for the mandatory procedures throughout Wales. The HARP team collaborates with the health boards in Wales to reduce the risk of patients developing an SSI.

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