Good hand hygiene is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce the risk of infection. This updated process helps keep handwashing visible in day-to-day practice and supports safe care for patients, clinicians and colleagues.
Download the SOP: Hand-washing-SOP v1.0
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Watch our handwashing video
For Hosts
For clinicians
Further guidance
Act now
Watch our handwashing video
For Hosts
Your role
- Check the Development Hub during your shift.
- Identify clinicians who are overdue or nearly due.
- Prioritise colleagues who are on shift with you.
- Support clinicians to make time for the audit during the shift.
- Help keep handwashing awareness visible in day-to-day practice.
How to carry out the audit
The handwashing kit at each Treatment Centre includes Glitter Bug lotion and a UV torch.
- Encourage the clinician to review the handwashing video and guidance.
- Ask them to rub the Glitter Bug lotion over their hands, including fingers and wrists.
- Use the UV torch to show the areas covered.
- Observe the clinician washing and drying their hands using the correct technique.
- Use the UV torch again to check for any missed areas.
How to record it on the Development Hub
- Go to Competency Checks.
- Select Group Member Checks.
- Choose a clinician and select Start Check.
- Complete the handwashing awareness process.
- Record the check as Pass.
- Add your name in the comments section.
- Enter the completion date and select Save.
Please note: there is no pass or fail outcome. Record the audit as Pass once it has been completed.
For clinicians
Your responsibility
- Complete the Handwashing Awareness Audit every 12 months.
- Check your status on the Development Hub.
- Let the Host know if you are due or overdue when you are in base.
- Help us maintain safe practice and meet our shared 95% compliance goal.
What the audit involves
- Glitter Bug lotion is applied to your hands, fingers and wrists.
- Your hands are checked under UV light before washing.
- You wash and dry your hands using the correct technique.
- Your hands are checked again under UV light to highlight any missed areas.
Hand hygiene reminders
- Be bare below the elbow.
- Remove hand and wrist jewellery, or move permitted items as required.
- Keep nails short and clean. Do not wear artificial nails or nail products.
- Cover cuts or abrasions with a waterproof dressing.
- Wash with soap and water when hands are visibly dirty or in specific clinical situations such as vomiting, diarrhoeal illness or suspected gastrointestinal infection.
- Use alcohol-based handrub for routine care where appropriate.
When to perform hand hygiene
- Before touching a patient.
- Before clean or aseptic procedures.
- After body fluid exposure risk.
- After touching a patient.
- After touching a patient’s immediate surroundings.
Further guidance
This page is intended as an overview only. Please refer to the SOP for full process detail and guidance.
Act now: Clinicians should check whether their handwashing audit is due. Hosts should check the Development Hub during the shift and prioritise colleagues who are overdue or nearly due.
| Handwashing audit checklist |
|---|
| Step |
| Handwash preparation |
| Bare below the elbows |
| Remove all jewellery |
| Reminder: fingernails should be clean, short and free from any nail products |
| Clinician to apply Glitter Bug spray all over the front and back of hands and wrists |
| Host shines UV light on the clinician’s hands to show where bugs may sit. This will show up as glittery patches under the light |
| Handwashing steps |
| Wet hands thoroughly with water |
| Apply enough soap to cover all hand surfaces |
| Rub hands palm to palm |
| Right palm over the back of the other hand with interlaced fingers, and vice versa |
| Rub palm to palm with fingers interlaced |
| Back of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked |
| Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm, and vice versa |
| Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards, with clasped fingers of right hand in left palm, and vice versa |
| Rub each wrist with the opposite hand |
| Rinse hands with water |
| Close tap by using elbow |
| Dry thoroughly with paper towels |
| Dispose of paper towels without touching the waste bin lid |
| Repeat hand check |
| Shine UV light on clean hands. If no white marks show, hands have been cleaned thoroughly |
| Recording the audit |
| Host to log results on Handwashing Awareness on Radar |