Implementing a ward accreditation programme to drive improvements in infection prevention

University Hospitals Southampton NHS Foundation Trust aspires to be a national leader in the reduction of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs). The need to further improve patient safety requires continual improvements in infection control practice in order to sustain high quality and safe patient care. To help achieve this, an infection prevention ward accreditation scheme was introduced across the trust in 2009. The accreditation scheme was initially based on the results of clinical wards'/areas' infection prevention audits, aiming to motivate wards to achieve success and support areas to identify and address gaps in compliance. The ward accreditation scheme acts as a certification of best practice and policy compliance related to reducing HCAIs. Since its introduction four years ago, the ward accreditation programme has been expanded and developed to incorporate other elements of infection prevention policy and practice and continues to be developed in order to drive the trust forward as leaders in infection prevention. The introduction and ongoing development of the accreditation scheme has encouraged healthy competition, aiding local ownership and driving forward improvements, and with this, the trust has significantly reduced infection rates over the last four years.