Healthcare-associated infection and antimicrobial resistance

In 2010, the HSE established a national clinical programme for the prevention of healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This introduced a range of initiatives and developments to focus on improvements and patient safety.

HCAI and AMR response team

The HSE established a National HCAI and AMR team in 2017. The team will help address the challenges facing the health service in dealing with HCAI and AMR, particularly in relation to CPE

Managing HCAI and AMR

Our goal is to ensure that the control of healthcare-associated infection and antimicrobial resistance is implemented in practice.

Management of healthcare-associated infection and antimicrobial resistance is critical to everything we do for patients. This requires a change in public policy and attitudes to the prevention of infection, antimicrobial use and environmental health.

CPE Contact Communication Programme

CPE is an antibiotic resistant organism, sometimes called a superbug. A small number of patients can come into contact with someone that carries CPE when they are in hospital. The risk of a CPE contact developing a CPE infection is very low. The HSE will contact you if you are one of these patients so you can get the information you need about CPE.