Using PGD to reduce surgical infection risk.

Patients with spinal injuries are at increased risk of surgical site infection due to increased numbers of comorbidities and prolonged surgical procedures. This article describes the impact of a patient group direction that was used in a pre-operative assessment clinic to provide Staphylococcus aureus decolonisation to patients with a spinal injury who required prophylaxis. A post-implementation audit revealed that, in the main, staff and patients adhered to the direction, and infection rates were reduced.