A Patient and Staff Stories Project about Hospital Infections - Tell your story!

The Department of Health is working with the HSE on a Patient and Staff Stories Research Project to learn from the experiences of staff and patients and help to improve infection prevention and control practices.

Hearing your story will help us to provide the best possible advice for patients, their families, and the community.

Register here to take part. A researcher from M-CO, the company that is working for the Department on this project, may contact you to see if you are happy to tell us your story.

The conversation will take up to 40 minutes, online or over the phone.

This research project is a key action under Ireland’s second One Health National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, known as iNAP2.

What is the aim of the project?

The purpose of the Patient and Staff Stories Project is to seek to explore the knowledge, practices, experiences and perceptions of both patients and staff who use and work in the public health service in relation to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC). Patients and staff who are well informed regarding AMR and IPC are seen as critical in combatting resistance to antimicrobial drugs and in reducing disease and infection. The stories of the participants will be used to inform and plan policy and to add to the body of knowledge regarding AMR and IPC. The data gathered through this public engagement exercise will help to drive improvements and foster learning in the health service.

Further Information on Hospital Infections Project for Patients

Further Information on Hospital Infections Project for Staff Members

What is Antimicrobial Resistance?

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is the resistance of a disease to drugs that were originally effective for the treatment of infections. Resistant microorganisms are able to survive attack by antimicrobial drugs, such as antibacterial drugs (also known as antibiotics), antifungals, antivirals and antimalarials, so that standard treatments become ineffective and infections persist, increasing the risk of spread to other people. The rise of AMR is accepted at global, European and national levels as one of the greatest potential threats to human and animal health with possible serious effects for public health, animal welfare and the agriculture and food sectors. For more information related to AMR visit the HSE's website.

What is Infection Prevention and Control?

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is a set of practices and specialist knowledge that together help to prevent the spread of infection and lessen the impact of infection when it does happen. IPC practices, such as handwashing are used by everyone in daily life to prevent infection. In healthcare and hospitals, IPC practices are of critical importance in protecting patients and healthcare workers from infections. See Healthcare Associated Infections - HSE.ie for more information.

What is a Healthcare Associated Infection?

Healthcare-associated infections are infections acquired by patients during their stay in a hospital or another healthcare setting. See Healthcare Associated Infections - HSE.ie for further information about healthcare-associated infections.