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Bupa Cromwell Hospital appoints Infection Prevention and Control Nurse

10 February 2010

Bupa Cromwell Hospital has appointed Jackie Portsmouth as Infection Prevention and Control Consultant Nurse, a London private hospital first. Her role is unique amongst London’s private hospitals and underlines the importance Bupa Cromwell places on maintaining the highest standards of hygiene.

Jackie qualified as a nurse in 1977 and began her career in infection prevention and control in 1998 training at Queen Victoria Hospital’s specialist Burns, Plastic Surgery and Maxillofacial Unit in West Sussex. Two years later, having completed a Diploma in Infection Control, Jackie moved to an acute hospital setting where she was able to consolidate her experience. She completed a BSc and Masters at the University of Brighton and in 2007 was appointed Consultant Nurse, Infection Prevention and Control, at Brighton and Sussex University NHS Trust hospitals.

Infection prevention and control is an evidence-based discipline and a core speciality within healthcare. Getting it right is essential to the wellbeing of patients and aids recovery. Jackie will work alongside Bupa Cromwell Hospital’s Consultant Microbiologist/Infection Prevention and Control Doctor, closely monitoring hygiene standards and creating protocols to retain the hospital’s stringent hygiene standards. Throughout 2009 and this year there were no reported cases of hospital acquired MRSA or Clostridium difficile at Bupa Cromwell Hospital.

Commenting on her new role, Jackie said: ‘My appointment reflects how professional and forward thinking Bupa Cromwell Hospital is and that it takes infection prevention and control extremely seriously. People are naturally concerned about acquiring infections when they come into a hospital. It is reassuring for our patients to know that we are committed to delivering the highest standards of infection prevention and control.”

Bupa Cromwell Hospital has also recently introduced GP Fast Track, a 24-hour, seven day-a-week service for GPs, providing rapid referral for their adult and paediatric private patients who need urgent medical admission. A dedicated GP telephone number is staffed by nurse administrators who arrange priority admission with one of the hospital’s on-call consultants.

Michele Lahey, Chief Executive of Bupa Cromwell Hospital, said: “We are always looking at ways to improve the patient journey through this hospital and providing rigorous and professional hygiene standards is core to that. We already had high standards of infection prevention and control when Jackie joined our clinical team, but we want to go even further to develop and enhance our approach throughout the hospital, with set standards and protocols which are under constant review.

“Introducing the Fast Track service for GPs is also integral to ensuring our patients have access to the best treatment as soon as possible,” she said.

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