From October 2009 to September 2010, the UK's largest independent provider of private healthcare BMI Healthcare ran a national "BMI Clean Team" campaign to improve hygiene in schools and communities across the country and to raise awareness of our clean hospitals. BMI is proud to announce that the campaign has resulted in more than 41 hospitals helping to train over 5,300 school children across the UK trained to be expert hand washers and "germ detectives."
How the Clean Teams Worked
Each hospital's "Clean Team" was led by an Infection Prevention Co-ordinator teaching each school about how germs can cause illness and can be easily spread from person to person, but that the simplest and most effective way of preventing this is by washing their hands thoroughly with soap. All pupils were asked to participate in a number of hygiene training sessions using a special hand gel that mimics germs and glows under UV light.
Russell Watson supported the Clean Team campaign
Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff supported the Clean Team campaign
To show pupils how cold or flu germs generated from one child's sneeze or cough can be passed on to classmates, pupils were divided into groups of five and one child was asked to spread the germ gel on their hands and then shake the hands of their classmates. The classmates then inspected their hands using the UV light and were amazed to see that the fake germs from the first student had been transmitted onto all four of the other members of their group.
The Clean Team then taught pupils washing with water alone will not get rid of bacteria or germs. After spreading the special germ gel on their hands, some children were asked to wash their hands with soap whilst others were asked to wash only with water. Pupils then compared their hands under the UV lights and saw that those that washed without soap had several traces of fake germs left on their hands whilst those that washed with soap had very little.
At the end of the training session, all pupils taught were officially inducted into the "Clean Team" and asked to sign a Clean Team bubble poster to symbolise their ongoing promise to always wash their hands with soap. Each child was also provided with a Clean Team rucksack that included an illustrated "Germs Make Me Sick" book, a "Health is in Your Hands" wristband that can be worn as a hand washing reminder and blowing bubbles to remind them that washing with soap is good, clean fun.
Sue Manning, Head of Infection Prevention and Control at BMI Healthcare explains, "Our rates of hospital-acquired infections are very, very low. So, it's an honour to share what we know and hope the children will continue to put into practice what they have learnt, at school and in their home."
Click here to see a list of the hospitals and schools who participated and photos of the events.
According to a 2009 Patients Association national survey [i], made possible through an unrestricted grant provided by BMI Healthcare,
Over 85% of people think businesses should do more to educate their employees about hand washing and other infection prevention practices
Over 50% of people have not been educated by their employer on the importance of hand washing
Over 76% of people were unaware of schools educating children in the importance of hand washing
Over 70% of people think that local hospitals should do more to educate children about proper hygiene and hand washing
If you would like more information, please visit the links below or contact the BMI Clean Team at bmicleanteam@bmihealthcare.co.ukSpecial thanks to the schools and hospital clean teams who have participated to date, including:
[i] - The online Survey (Infection Control – How much do you know – and want to know?) was emailed to 2000 members and was also available to members of the public via www.patients-association.com. Members who were healthcare professionals were specifically asked not to take part as the Survey was designed to be answered by lay members of the public. 550 people completed the Survey during September and October 2009.
