Students from Hereford College of Arts have applied their creative skills to design a new hand hygiene campaign for staff, patients and visitors, at Wye Valley NHS Trust, which was launched last week.

80 students were invited by the Trust to get involved in the new eye catching campaign and put their initial ideas forward using mood boards.

Seven of the student’s ideas were developed into designs and the winner, Miranda Appleton’s, design was chosen for the final campaign, which was launched last week, during the Trust’s Hand Hygiene Week (April 30th to May 4th), which coincided with World Hand Hygiene Day on May 5th.

Lucie Grisewood, infection prevention nurse at Wye Valley NHS Trust (WVT) said: “We’re delighted with the new campaign and would like to thank the students, and the winner Miranda Appleton, who we have worked collaboratively with to convey this important message.

“Performing appropriate hand hygiene is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself and others from illnesses, such as sickness, diarrhoea and flu. It is particularly important to do this before and after going to the toilet, before eating, and always when visiting a relative or friend in hospital, as well as using the alcohol hand gel provided.

“We also ask patients to wash their hands before meals and after using the toilet, and encourage patients to ask staff if they have washed their hands before any patient contact.”

Miranda Appleton, student at Hereford College of Arts, said: “This project has been a really good experience. It has given me the opportunity to work with a real client and I have really enjoyed coming up with a solution to the WVT brief. It has also enabled my work to be professionally printed and viewed by a wide variety of people within the public domain”.

Hereford College of Arts Tutor, Mark Woods, added: “For our foundation students this is an excellent opportunity to engage with the local community in a meaningful way. As practicing artists we recognise the importance of students working to professional standards and client lead briefs are a brilliant way to offer them the opportunity to work to industry standards”.

Washing your hands:

• Always wash your hands before and after going to the toilet, before eating, and when visiting a patient in hospital

• Wet your hands with clean, warm running water

• Apply soap

• Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap

• Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers, and under your nails

• Rubbing your hands together for at least 30 seconds

• Rinse hands thoroughly with clean warm water

• Dry hands fully