Research Paper Purpose Although hand hygiene is seen as the most important method to prevent the transmission of hospital associated infection in the UK, hand hygiene compliance rates appear to remain poor. This research aims to assess the degree to which social marketing methodology can be adopted by a particular organization to promote hand hygiene compliance. Design/Methodology/Approach The research design is based on a conceptual framework developed from analysis of social marketing

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... l marketing literature. Data collection involved taped interviews given by nursing staff working within a specific Hospital Directorate in Manchester, England. Supplementary data was obtained from archival records of the hand hygiene compliance rates. Findings Findings highlighted gaps in the Directorate's approach to the promotion of hand hygiene compared to what could be using social marketing methodology. Respondents highlighted how the Directorate failed to fully optimise resources required to endorse hand hygiene practice and this resulted in poorer compliance. Originality/Value From the experiences and events documented, the study suggests how the emergent phenomena could be utilized by the Directorate to apply a social marketing approach which could positively influence hand hygiene compliance.