This invention relates to a verification apparatus for verifying completion of an action, such as use of a device, and in particular to a verification apparatus that allows for the monitoring and verification of the completion of a hand washing/sanitising action.

The present has particular application to infection control is hospitals in relation to the monitoring and verification of hand washing and sanitising facilities and in food preparation and food packaging industries. However, it is also applicable to any field where time dependent completion of an action, in particular a sanitising action including usage of a sanitising device, is a requirement and where there is a desire to monitor and/or verify the use of such device or completion of such action, for example in the agriculture sector as part of biosecurity measures, for example to verify that personnel have used disinfectant foot baths etc.

Ensuring high levels of hand hygiene amongst healthcare professionals and visitors attending healthcare facilities is the single most important factor in the prevention of Healthcare Acquired Infections.

Healthcare Acquired Infections (hereinafter referred to as "HAI") are a major case of morbidity, mortality and increased levels of healthcare expenditure.

HAI in the UK per year results in 300, 000 infections, 5,000 deaths and is estimated to cost over £1 billion. In the United States of America HAI results in 2 million infections, 98,000 deaths and a cost of over $4.5 billion. Indeed, HAI is the 4 ^th leading cause of death in the United States.

The single most important factor in reducing the incidence of HAI is to ensure good standards of hand hygiene. Hospitals & healthcare facilities now routinely employ Infection Control Specialists to implement given infection control procedures. A vital role is to ensure that healthcare professional and hospital visitors disinfect their hands at the appropriate times. However, in busy and often demanding clinical settings it becomes impractical / imposable to monitor and enforce individual hand hygiene activity. Consequently, hand hygiene compliance rates remain often below best practice recommendations.

Research has shown that visitors entering healthcare environments consistently have the lowest rates of hand hygiene compliance. Typical rates range from 12% to 30% compliance with hand hygiene compliance. These poor uptake figures are a significant factor in the spread of HAI.

An object of the present invention is to provide a reliable system for ensuring compliance with hand hygiene practices, in particular for hospital visitors.

According to the present invention there is provided a verification apparatus for monitoring and verifying completion of an action, such as the use of a device, for example a hand washing and/or sanitising agent dispenser, said verification apparatus comprising means for providing a verifiable token or indication that can be checked to verify completion of said action.

In one embodiment, said verification apparatus includes means for marking a token upon completion of said action. The token may comprise a card or badge to be worn by the user.

In a preferred embodiment, said apparatus comprises a token issuing means for issuing a token in response to completion of said action, whereby possession of said token is evidence of completion of said action. Preferably said token comprises a disposable token. Preferably said token is adapted to be displayed by the user. The token may be in the form of a badge. In one embodiment the token comprises a self adhesive label.

Preferably the verification apparatus comprises means for applying a time related marking or indicia to the token to indicate the time of completion of said action and/or to indicate expiry of the token, for example to indicate when the action needs to repeated. Preferably said time related marking comprises a readable indication of the time of issue of the token and/or the time of expiry of the token. In one embodiment, the time related marking may comprise or include a marking that changes state after a predetermined period to indicate that the action needs to be repeated and/or to indicate expiration of the token. Preferably said change of state comprises a change of colour.

The apparatus may provide a control means for controlling operation of said verification apparatus in response to completion of said action.

Preferably the control means communicates with a central control to record the occurrence of said action, for example for inventory control to assist timely refilling or replenishment of a dispensing device where said action is use of said dispensing device. Said control means may be adapted to communicate wirelessly with said central control.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a dispensing device having a verification apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the invention for monitoring and verifying use of the dispensing device.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a hand sanitising device for dispensing a hand sanitising agent, said device including a verification apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure I is a perspective view of a hand sanitising agent dispenser incorporating a verification apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a detailed view of a ticket issued by the verification apparatus of Figure 1.

The hand sanitising agent dispenser 10 is conventional in the art and thus will not be described in detail. The dispenser is adapted to dispense a metered volume of a hand sanitising agent onto a user's hands when the user places their hand beneath a dispensing outlet nozzle of the dispenser, the dispenser including a detection device for detecting the presence of the user's hands beneath the outlet nozzle and a control means for operating a dispensing device to dispense a metered volume of sanitising agent onto a user's hands when the detection device senses the presence of the user's hands. Alternatively a manually actuable dispensing device may be provided wherein the santising agent is dispensed upon actuation of an operating lever.

The dispensing device will dispense a proprietary hand sanitizing gel or conventional soap onto an operative's hands. Following the dispensing procedure the verification apparatus will automatically print a self-adhesive ticket 12, as shown in Figure 2, which will have a highly visible issue time stamp 14 and a projected 'safe-time' or expiration time displayed upon it. This 'safe-time' will be indicative of the life-span of the sanitising agent, which is typically approximately two hours. A shown in Figure 2, the two hour 'safe' period 18 is highlighted on a printed clock face on the ticket 12. The ticket 12, being self-adhesive will be displayed on the user's person by being worn as a badge on clothing, or may be attached to an existing badge or ID card.

This highly visible indicator will allow ward staff or infection control staff to monitor the hand sanitising practices of those on their wards and will allow them to intervene when necessary to maintain standards.

The ticket may be provided with a region, for example the 'safe' period 18 on the clock face, that changes colour after a predetermined period of time, corresponding to said "safe-time", for example from green to red, to provide a clearly visible indication of the expiration of the ticket indicating that the user must repeat use of a hand sanitising agent dispensing device.

Each hand sanitising agent dispenser 10 may be wirelessly linked to a central monitoring computer. This will allow facility management to monitor hand sanitisation across their entire site and to compile statistical information. Hand sanitisation can be much more scientifically monitored with targets for improvement set. The monitoring computer may also be used for inventory control to ensure timely refilling of the dispenser with sanitising agent.

Instead of dispensing a ticket, the verification apparatus may be arranged to print a marking on an existing ticket or badge presented by the user, the marking showing the time of application of the hand sanitising agent and, optionally, also the expiration of the "safe-time" whereupon application of the hand sanitising agent requires repetition.

The verification apparatus may be used with other devices where repeated use of the device is required at predetermined intervals, for example with a disinfectant washing station or footbath for use in a biosecurity procedure.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) described herein but can be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.