Surgical site infection

Quality statements

Statement 1 People having surgery are advised not to remove hair from the surgical site and are advised to have (or are helped to have) a shower, bath or bed bath the day before or on the day of surgery.

Statement 2 People having surgery for which antibiotic prophylaxis is indicated receive this in accordance with the local antibiotic formulary.

Statement 3 Adults having surgery under general or regional anaesthesia have normothermia maintained before, during (unless active cooling is part of the procedure) and after surgery.

Statement 4 People having surgery are cared for by an operating team that minimises the transfer of microorganisms during the procedure by following best practice in hand hygiene and theatre wear, and by not moving in and out of the operating area unnecessarily.

Statement 5 People having surgery and their carers receive information and advice on wound and dressing care, including how to recognise problems with the wound and who to contact if they are concerned.

Statement 6 People with a surgical site infection are offered treatment with an antibiotic that covers the likely causative organisms and is selected based on local resistance patterns and the results of microbiological tests.

Statement 7 People having surgery are cared for by healthcare providers that monitor surgical site infection rates (including post-discharge infections) and provide feedback to relevant staff and stakeholders for continuous improvement through adjustment of clinical practice.