First Community launches new ‘To glove or not to glove’ campaign

First Community has become the latest healthcare organisation to launch an awareness campaign which aims to reduce the unnecessary use of non-sterile disposable gloves for patients without a known infection risk. 

The ‘To glove or not to glove’ campaign focusses on good hand hygiene and infection prevention principles which will lead to a better and safer experience for both patients and staff.

First Community aims to go back to the way gloves were used before the Covid-19 pandemic when the focus was on clean hands. Choosing good hand hygiene instead of gloves, when appropriate, is an effective way to reduce the spread of infection and protect patients.

Another benefit of the campaign is the cost saving. The NHS uses 1.4 billion gloves every year but a third of those are not needed. Only using gloves when clinically essential will save money that can be used more effectively elsewhere.

It will also help to protect healthcare workers by reducing the level of skin problems due to the overuse of gloves and by reducing the use of single use plastics it is a positive step forward in First Community’s Green Plan. 

Jon Ota, First Community’s Chief Nurse said, “I’m extremely excited to see the positive results from the campaign over the coming months in terms of environmental sustainability, infection prevention and control, staff skin health and cost. 

“The campaign will increase staff awareness best practice for when to wear gloves in clinical areas using various communication methods and training sessions. 

I’m very much looking forward to working with colleagues at First Community to deliver the campaign.”