All colleagues, in all roles, should be bare below the elbow before entering any clinical environments - be that a ward, outpatient clinic or patient home. 

Bare below the elbow is within the hand hygiene policy and also in the IPC standards, and means:

• no watches - including smartwatches
• no jewellery - a single ‘wedding band’ ring is allowed but they must be a plain smooth band (without stones)
• no false nails/nail polish/gels or acrylic build

It is important for infection control and prevention that all colleagues, clinical and non-clinical, are bare below the elbow if they are in a clinical environment, including if you are visiting another department. 

Also attached is a new poster about being bare below the elbow. Please display this in colleague areas, such as changing rooms.

Please pass this information on to colleagues who may not regularly read CHFT News.