A welcome from the President of BSAC

Hello. Point prevalence survey is a key stewardship tool that supports not only evaluation, but also feedback and effective implementation of stewardship. A point prevalence survey is a wonderful validated method for measuring the quality of prescribing in the hospital setting. You may ask, what does a point prevalence surveillance offer? It can be used at a ward, hospital, regional, or national level. It can provide baseline information about the quality of prescribing or the barometer for prescribing. It also gives us local or national data that is consistent in methodology. And fourthly, it can be used for a range of purposes. For example, to drive local quality improvement with feedback, a very effective change too.

It can be used for the development of metrics or indicators, but can be used also for performance management. And it provides local health care teams the opportunity for research and for their implementation. This training video will help the stewardship and infection prevention teams to understand four things. One, understand the method and evidence that supports the point prevalence survey method. It will help us understand the why, the what, the who, and how to undertake a point prevalence study. It will illustrate great examples of good practice and allow us learning for sharing of this practice. And ultimately, as a clinician, I think you’ll find it’s ethos, that is pragmatic, and real world, and very relevant to your practice, an asset.

I sincerely hope that you enjoy it. Good luck.