Consensus standards and performance indicators for prevention and control of healthcare-associated infection in Europe.

Healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) and related problems of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) place a considerable burden on healthcare delivery, patients, their families and carers, and the economy. Once considered a low priority, they are now recognized globally as major patient safety issues. The European Union's Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection released a public consultation on strategies for improving patient safety by the prevention and control of HCAI, and increased standards of antimicrobial stewardship. They also specified that the 'Improving Patient Safety in Europe' research project they had funded would develop consensus standards and related performance indicators (SPIs) for the prevention and control of HCAI and AMR. This article describes how consensus was reached between 29 participating European countries, the detailed SPIs, and a reduced set of indicators ('13+13') that could be used internationally and nationally to stimulate and review improvement in HCAI prevention and control, and antimicrobial stewardship activities.