Max4Health - hand hygiene promotion

"MAX has made a very positive contribution to this Trust’s efforts to raise awareness of hand hygiene, with staff, patients and visitors.  Our MRSA infection rates are showing a consistent downward trend.  The MAX campaign is an important tool in all of the things we are doing to achieve that.  It is warmly welcomed and supported by our Matrons and the MAX screensaver and badges continue to be used throughout the Trust."

Pat Trinnaman
Head of Corporate Affairs
Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals - NHS Foundation Trust


The Max4Health Guide to Hand Hygiene aims to educate, enable and prompt healthcare staff to perform correct hand hygiene procedures at the right time, every time during the care of patients by :

• Delivering hand hygiene training and workshops to engage, inform and inspire staff.
  
  
• Speaking at key meetings from a patient’s viewpoint i.e. Link Staff meetings and infection control study days.
  
  
• Bespoke solutions – reviewing your site or region with you and designing a bespoke hand hygiene campaign including hand washing initiatives and promotional materials to meet your specific needs.
  
  
• Extending the hand washing message to the local community by engaging local media, groups and forums.

The Max Guide to Hand Hygiene was created through the personal experience of its founder, Ashley Brooks who nearly died after contracting a hospital acquired infection in 2001. Ashley fought his way to health and went on to dedicate his life to promoting and raising awareness of the importance of good hand hygiene. See Ashley's story.




Ashley meets Ann Keen MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Health Services at the Department of Health, at the Max4Health launch, Southampton General Hospital, February 2009.

Working in partnership with the heads of infection control and microbiology at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Ashley and his team created The Max Guide to Hand Hygiene – a campaign to prevent and reduce the spread of infections through the constant education and promotion of good hand hygiene practice.

Results from the campaign have been extremely positive with one Trust recently reporting an increase of 35% in hand hygiene compliance after installing the Max Guide to Hand Hygiene in
2 of its wards. Please contact us to find out how The Max Guide to Hand Hygiene can help you.