(Image: Peter Barron)
HEALTH professionals at a Darlington hospital are celebrating a gold award for setting the highest safety standards in infection prevention and control.
Woodlands Hospital has achieved Gold Standard re-accreditation in Aseptic Non-Touch Technique (ANTT) – a recognised benchmark for safe clinical practice.
News of the gold standard comes as Woodlands marks its 25th anniversary as a hospital that combines private health care with easing the burden on the NHS.
Georgina Fernie-Mains, Woodlands Hospital Specialist Nurse, Infection Prevention Control Lead and Pathology Co-ordinator, said: “This achievement means our patients can be confident that we are committed to delivering care using the safest possible techniques to reduce the risk of infection during procedures.
“Achieving and maintaining this gold standard reflects the dedication of our clinical teams, who work hard every day to follow best practices and put patient safety at the centre of everything they do.”
Executive Director, Debbie Dobbs, also paid tribute to the dedication of hospital staff.
“The gold accreditation in ANTT is such an important milestone for any hospital to reach, and it is testament to the professionalism, commitment, and hard work of our colleagues in making patient safety the absolute priority,” she said.
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“It is one thing to reach the gold standard and another to maintain it through re-accreditation, underlining our philosophy that there is never room for complacency or resting on our laurels. We are delighted to strike gold during our silver anniversary!”
The accreditation from the Association For Safe Aseptic Practice covers a three-year period and it comes shortly after the hospital – part of the Circle Health Group – achieved other accolades.
In August, Woodlands was praised by inspectors for the quality of its endoscopy services. A report from the Joint Advisory Group of the Royal College of Physicians commended the service for its “exemplary leadership and commitment to patient-centred care”.