Members of SURF and colleagues from the HCAI Research Network were involved in delivering an event aimed at increasing public involvement in HCAI research. At the event, SURF members who are actively involved in research projects spoke about their collaborative experiences and networked with researchers working in infection research.

Click here to read more about the event and view some of the presentations.

Members of SURF and colleagues from the HCAI Research Network attended the biennial INVOLVE conference on patient and public involvement to present a poster and run a workshop session.

The poster illustrated the results of a survey of researchers working in the field of HCAI to gather their views and experiences of public involvement. The poster incorporated SURF members' reflections on the results. To view the poster click here.

The workshop session was aimed at providing assisting service users in developing their own research priorities and thinking about the early stages of developing a research idea and was based on work undertaken at SURF workshops.

A project initiated and developed by the SURF group, and undertaken in collaboration with the University of West London has won an award. The project, which explored student nurses’ competence and confidence in infection prevention and control skills, won the award for best oral presentation at this year’s Infection Prevention Society conference in Liverpool.

A collaborative research project exploring patients' experiences of MRSA screening and decolonisation is being undertaken by the University of West London's Richard Wells Research Centre and the SURF group. This month recruitment of participants for the study has commenced.

Click here to read more about the research.

The Service User Research Forum and the HCAI Research Network have had two collaborative presentations accepted for this year’s INVOLVE conference on public involvement.

The group will be running a workshop aimed at members of the public who are interested in developing their own ideas for research, and will be presenting a poster on researchers’ views and experiences of public involvement in HCAI and antimicrobial resistance research.

Click here to visit the conference website.

The HCAI Research Network is undertaking a short survey of the views and experiences of researchers working in the fields of HCAI and antimicrobial resistance.

If you are a researcher working in these areas please click here to take the survey.

SURF attended the GovToday conference: HCAIs: Evaluating progress: Analysing the threats.

Click here to read a report of the day

SURF member Sue Bennett is a member of the steering group for the James Lind Alliance Pressure Ulcer Partnership. The Partnership is undertaking a survey of patients and carers as part of ongoing research into the most effective prevention and treatment for pressure ulcers.

The survey, along with more information about the partnership and its work, can be accessed at www.jlapressureulcerpartnership.co.uk

SURF Member Maria Cann travelled to the British Science Festival to attend an afternoon hosted by the Bradford Infection Group. She attended a talk on the causes and effects of HAIs followed by an interactive laboratory exhibition.

Click here to read Maria's report from the day.

Are you a member of the public, patient or carer in England? Do you have an interest in reducing Healthcare Associated Infections? Are you interested in finding out more about research or working with researchers to carry out projects? If the answers to these questions are yes then SURF membership may be of interest to you. We are currently looking for people to join SURF, particularly in the South West, London, South East and North East.

Click here for more information on SURF membership.

An academic poster which highlights some of the work SURF and the HCAI Research Network have undertaken was presented at the First International Conference of Prevention and Infection Control in Geneva. The poster explained the benefits of public involvement in HCAI research to the international audience and outlined some collaborative projects which have arisen from SURF identified research priorities.

Click here to read the report from the conference and see SURF's poster.

Representatives from SURF and the HCAI Research Network attended the Royal College of Nursing's International Nursing Research Conference to deliver a concurrent presentation. The session outlined the collaborative work carried out in developing a joint submission for research funding. It took place alongside a series of other interesting and informative presentations about the value and benefits of public involvement in nurse-led research.

A website designed to enable patients and the public to find out how they can get involved in health and social care research in London has been launched. The site is a collaboration between various NHS Trusts, Research Centres and support services, including SURF.

Click here for more information.

leaflet about SURF and how we can work with researchers and healthcare professionals in their HCAI research is available. Click here to view or download a copy.

Useful introductory guidance for members of the public who are considering active involvement in NHS, public health or social care research has been published by INVOLVE. To view or download the document click here.

SURF attended the INVOLVE Conference on Public Involvement in Research and presented a poster and talk on some of the group's achievements to date.

To read SURF Core Member Olivia Freeman's report on the conference and view SURF's poster, click here.

SURF Core Member Maria Cann reports on the day:

"GovToday Conference was interesting and stimulated debate around the successes that had been achieved in tackling healthcare associated infections and the work still to be done. The masterclass sessions covered early discharge of patients, technologies to help reduce the length of stay and achieve efficient whole room decontamination." click to read the full report.