EASTBANK HOME MANAGER PROMOTES HAND HYGIENE AT LOCAL SCHOOL

Carolyn Butler, home manager at Bupa’s Eastbank Care Home, Shettleston, Glasgow has taken Scotland’s National Hand Hygiene Campaign into Eastbank Primary School to teach the Primary One children the importance of washing their hands properly to prevent the spread of germs. Scotland’s National Hand Hygiene campaign was launched in January 2007 and is being delivered by Health Protection Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government Health Directorate. This campaign is the first of its kind in the UK and its core aim is to improve hand hygiene and reduce avoidable illness. One of the activities in the programme is to raise the awareness of hand hygiene as early as possible, the sooner children get into the habit of washing their hands regularly, the better. The hand washing event took place on Monday 23 November, with Carolyn showing 30 children how to succesfully wash their hands. The group discussed issues including all the activities that were undertaken by hands, when you should wash your hands and the correct way to wash your hands. Everyone joined in on a special handwashing sing-a-long to the tune of Row Row Row Your Boat: Wash Wash Wash your hands Wash your germs away If you don’t you might get sick And that will spoil your day The children were all rewarded with Bupa gifts for their hard work including pens, pencils and balloons. Eastbank Primary School will continue with the campaign and children will be rewarded with stickers to be placed on a chart for successfully washing their hands correctly. Carolyn Butler, home manager at Bupa’s Eastbank Care Home, said: “I was really excited to be part of this event, I think the National Hand Hygiene Campaign is very important and I hope introducing this to the children will make a real difference. The children regularly visit Eastbank Care Home and the residents love chatting and spending time with them. It was nice for me to be able to give something back to the school.”