HIQUA has identified overcrowding in emergency departments as a risk factor in Irish hospitals.
The agency, which is tasked with monitoring the safety and quality of the health system, has compiled inspection reports carried out in 49 acute hospitals.
It shows that almost one third of hand hygiene opportunities are missed.
This report is a compilation of a number of previously published inspection reports by HIQA.
It identifies inappropriate accommodation of patients outside of screened treatment bays as a risk factor.
HIQA also mentions extra beds placed into wards as another problem.
But it's hand hygiene that is shown to be the single most commonly identified risk factor at. 31 % of hand hygiene opportunities observed by the IA inspectors were missed
