The Health Improvement Team at Cardiff Council is working with schools in Cardiff to promote good hand hygiene (hand washing) during school hours.
The initiative is about protecting and improving the health of school children. Washing your hands with liquid soap, warm water and drying them is an important way to prevent the spread of bacterial infections like e.coli O157 and viral infections such as swine flu and norovirus which can cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
The Health Improvement Team is engaging with pupils to ask their opinions on the toilet facilities they use and their own hand hygiene behaviour. This information is then used to develop interactive hand washing promotions such as peer support training, promote good hand hygiene practices through the use of posters, DVDs and trial a range of new hand hygiene products and other pupil-led activities.
It is hoped the initiative will run into the middle of 2010 when a hand hygiene toolkit will be produced to support schools in any future projects they may consider in relation to improving hand hygiene.
Many schools involved in piloting some of these interventions are using elements of the curriculum to develop and support learning. Schools currently supporting this initiative include Llanrumney High School, St. Illtyds Catholic High School, Whitchurch High School, Eglwys Wen Primary School and Rhydypenau Primary School to name but a few.
For further information on this initiative contact Cardiff Council’s Health Improvement Team Tel: 02920871845
