Healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use in long-term care facilities: the Irish experience with the HALT surveys

In the context of an ageing European population, point prevalence surveys (PPS) of healthcare-associated infection and antimicrobial use in long-term care facilities (HALT) in Europe were commissioned by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Sixty-nine Irish long-term care facilities (LTCFs) took part in the first survey in 2010. A series of interventions to raise the profile of infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship in Irish LTCFs followed. HALT was repeated in Ireland in 2011, with 108 participating LTCFs, and again in 2013 as part of the second European HALT survey, with 190 participating LTCFs. The latest Irish HALT report incorporates data from the three PPSs to date, and discusses the findings and the national implementation priorities recommended by the Irish multi-disciplinary steering group. Ireland contributed ∼10% of the total resident population in both of the European HALT PPSs. This, and the growing number of participating LTCFs, shows that healthcare professionals in Irish LTCFs are committed to improving the quality and safety of resident care.