Factors affecting the risk surgical site infection and methods of reducing.

According to estimates by the National Audit Office (NAO) hospital acquired infections (HAl), in particular surgical site infections (SSls), cost the NHS on average 3200 pounds per SSI and cause a mortality rate of at least five thousand patients a year (Leaper 2010). Despite practitioners' knowledge of safe working technique and control of infection, reported cases of nosocomial infections are still high, despite a reduction in-rate from 9% in 1993/4 to 8.2% in 2006 (Roberts & Cookson 2009).