Infection Control Explained - 6 - Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE)

Welcoming back Professor Elaine Cloutman-Green who completes our series by exploring what Gram-negative organisms are and what the laboratory tests done to classify an organism as Gram-negative. She explains where you typically find Gram-negative organisms on the human body and why antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are a real concern and relates that back to looking after babies, children and young people in a hospital setting.

In this episode one of our IPC nurses, Bomi Bang, explains what MRSA is and some need-to-know information about how we screen for MRSA and detect colonisation Vs MRSA infection. We discuss potential treatments that may be used and precautions which will be applied at GOSH. Bomi also explains why some IPC measures are adapted depending on where a patient with MRSA is seen or departments they visit around the hospital.

In this episode we explain what Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) is.  Professor Elaine Cloutman-Green back and explains the differences between Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms. We discuss why this is important when understanding why we are concerned about VRE in the healthcare setting specifically. Our final episode in this series will unpick Gram-negative organisms in more depth.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into a fungus called Candidozyma Auris (C.Auris). Barbara Brekle is one of our IPC nurses at GOSH and she explains the healthcare concerns around C.Auris and what we do at GOSH to manage C.Auris at GOSH. We explain what would happen to a patient tests positive for C.Auris and explore what precautions are required in the hospital setting.

In this episode, we discuss all you need to know about an organism called Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacterales (CPE) and why this is organism is of particular concern in the hospital setting. Kate Fincham (nee Rennie) who is one of our IPC nurses, explains how stool screening can support patient care as well what we ask healthcare staff and families of patients to do when a patient has CPE at GOSH.

Similarly to resistant bugs, in this podcast, we now explore what viruses are and how they differ from bacteria, treatment challenges and prevention methods of viral infections. Professor Elaine Cloutman-Green who is first and foremost a healthcare scientist, she is also GOSH’s IPC doctor and the deputy director of IPC. Listeners will be talked through why we manage our patients with viral infections in the way we do at GOSH.

Building on the first episode, we now introduce listeners to understanding the basics of what we mean when we talk about and refer to resistant bugs. Our expert speaker Helen Dunn, who we met in episode 1, follows on from the introduction to IPC and sets the scene for understanding of drug-resistant bugs. Listeners maybe used to hearing headlines in the news about resistant bugs as a global health concern. This episode will simplify and breakdown what they are.

As we introduce a brand new series of podcasts titled ‘Infection Control Explained’, in this podcast we introduce listeners to this subject. Helen Dunn who is a consultant nurse and the director of infection prevention and control (IPC) at GOSH kicks off this new series of podcasts. During the 8 podcasts, we are going to unpick IPC in practice at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). Our aim is to de-mystify some of the ways we manage different infections and organisms of concern in our patients and our environment.  

In this episode, we dive into the vast and often overwhelming world of plastic waste in healthcare. Nicola Wilson speaks with Rianan Puttnam, Waste Manager at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and Liam Hogg, Head of Waste and Resources for NHS England, to uncover the true scale of the issue and the complexity of the waste streams we rely on every day. Together, they explore how healthcare generates enormous volumes of plastic, the challenges of managing waste safely, and the innovative ways plastic is being repurposed to keep it out of the environment. They also discuss why designing products with their end‑of‑life in mind—not just their use—is essential for creating a more sustainable system. A conversation full of realism, creativity, and hope for a future where healthcare waste is managed smarter, not bigger.

In this episode, we explore how infection prevention and control can evolve to become truly sustainable. Helen Dunn and Rose Gallagher join Nicola Wilson to discuss the pressures driving single‑use plastics, the role manufacturers play, and what it will take to build more resilient systems. Together, they unpack the challenges and the growing opportunities—from rethinking disposables to moving confidently toward reusable solutions—showing that safe care and sustainable care can absolutely work hand in hand.