Skip To Content

Site Logo

National Infection Prevention and Control Manual

National Infection Prevention and Control Manual

News

Update to recommendation for surgical hand antisepsis

26 Oct 2023

Following publication of the Surgical Hand Antisepsis literature review version 6.1 in July 2023 we received stakeholder feedback relating to the recommendation. The literature review has been updated 

Amended recommendation:

The following recommendation was amended following stakeholder feedback which highlighted that some settings have designed out scrub sinks to reduce the risk of water-associated infection, and consequently only use surgical hand rub products. Additionally, skin sensitivities and allergies may require avoidance of surgical hand scrub products. In these scenarios where surgical hand rubbing is the preferred option, it is expert opinion that hand hygiene using water and a non-antimicrobial liquid soap should be performed prior to entering the theatre or care area. The rationale for this is to remove physical contamination (which hand rub products are unable to do).

  • Surgical scrubbing using an antimicrobial surgical scrub product should be used for the first surgical hand antisepsis of the day. Additional wording added: Or perform hand hygiene using water and a non-antimicrobial liquid soap prior to the first surgical antisepsis of the day; this can be carried out in an adjacent clinical area.

Updates to NIPCM

Section 1.2 of the NIPCM has been amended to take consideration of these amendments.