Hand hygiene took centre stage at Seabreeze Mental Health Facility in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, as the Health Service Executive (HSE) marked World Hand Hygiene Day with a practical awareness event focused on infection prevention. The initiative highlighted how simple, consistent hand cleaning remains one of the most effective steps healthcare settings can take to reduce infection risks and support safer care across Ireland.
The event featured the HSE’s national Resist campaign, with an information stand organised by the HSE Dublin and South East Infection Prevention and Control Nursing Team alongside the Antimicrobial Stewardship team. Staff, service users, visitors and families were encouraged to engage with the campaign and learn more about proper hand hygiene technique through an interactive glow box demonstration.
Hand hygiene and the HSE Resist campaign
The Health Service Executive (HSE) uses the Resist campaign to support wider infection prevention and antimicrobial resistance awareness across healthcare services. At Seabreeze, the campaign served as both a reminder and a refresher for everyone entering the facility, not only frontline care staff.
According to the HSE, hand hygiene continues to be:
- One of the most effective infection prevention measures
- A low-cost but high-impact healthcare intervention
- Essential in limiting healthcare-associated infections
- Important in reducing the spread of antimicrobial resistance
These messages align with broader public health priorities seen across gov.ie, Health, Social Protection and related state services, where prevention and patient safety remain central themes.
Why proper hand cleaning matters in care settings
Healthcare workers, including nurses, doctors and carers, play a key role in preventing infections from spreading between patients and clinical environments. HSE clinical staff at the event stressed that cleaning hands properly and at the right time is crucial when delivering care and when helping service users manage their own hygiene.
In facilities such as Seabreeze, this can help lower the risk of serious healthcare-associated infections, a challenge closely monitored across the Irish health system by bodies including HIQA and the Health Service Executive (HSE).
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Seabreeze Mental Health Facility in Dungarvan
Seabreeze is a major mental health support residence within the HSE Dublin and South East mental health services. Developed at a cost of €6.4 million on a standalone 1.9-acre site and officially opened last year, the facility is designed to support adults with enduring mental illness while promoting autonomy, dignity and daily living skills.
The facility includes:
- Two residential blocks
- 10 en-suite single bedrooms
- Two apartments
- A third adjoining block with communal areas and administrative offices
Seabreeze was also shortlisted in the healthcare projects category of the Irish Building and Design Awards 2025, underlining its significance in modern mental health infrastructure in Ireland.
Staff message from World Hand Hygiene Day
Staff at Seabreeze said the facility already has a strong record on hand hygiene, but the World Hand Hygiene Day event offered a valuable opportunity to strengthen standards further. The message was clear: infection prevention is everyone’s responsibility, from healthcare professionals to residents and visitors.
This practical approach reflects the wider work seen across public services and agencies such as the Revenue Commissioners, Department of the Taoiseach, Education and Justice in promoting awareness, compliance and safer environments through clear public information.
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What this means for healthcare safety in Ireland
The Seabreeze event shows how hand hygiene remains a frontline defence in modern healthcare. For the Health Service Executive (HSE), awareness days like this are not symbolic alone; they reinforce behaviours that protect patients, staff and communities. In a healthcare landscape shaped by infection control, patient safety and responsible antimicrobial use, strong hand hygiene standards continue to matter every day.
The key takeaway is simple: World Hand Hygiene Day at Seabreeze demonstrated how the Health Service Executive (HSE) is using education, engagement and practical tools to keep hand hygiene at the heart of safer care in Ireland.
Article/Image Courtesy: HSE
