The British Infection Association (BIA), together with partner UK infection societies, has published a new position statement supporting the safe and appropriate use of gloves across health and social care.

Published in Clinical Infection in Practice, the statement addresses persistent uncertainty around when gloves are — and are not — required in clinical practice. It emphasises that glove use should be based on an assessment of the risk posed by the individual task, rather than being used routinely for all patient contact.

Gloves are not a substitute for hand hygiene

Gloves remain an important form of personal protective equipment where there is a risk of exposure to blood, body fluids or other potentially infectious material. However, unnecessary glove use does not improve infection prevention and may itself contribute to cross-contamination if gloves are not changed appropriately.  Crucially, wearing gloves can also reduce compliance with hand hygiene. For many routine healthcare interactions, effective hand hygiene provides better infection prevention than wearing gloves. The position statement therefore calls for healthcare workers and organisations to adopt a simple principle:

Use gloves when the clinical risk requires them; otherwise, prioritise effective hand hygiene.

Better glove use benefits patients, staff and the environment

Disposable gloves are used on an enormous scale across UK healthcare. Using them appropriately offers benefits extending beyond reducing the risk of cross-transmission. A 10% reduction in NHS glove use is estimated to avoid approximately 3,900 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions each year, while also reducing waste and procurement costs.

Reducing unnecessary glove use may also help limit occupational skin problems associated with prolonged glove use and lessen reliance on complex international supply chains, in which concerns about labour conditions and ethical procurement have been reported.

Supporting staff to make appropriate decisions

The statement recognises that inappropriate glove use is often driven by uncertainty, established workplace norms and concerns about infection prevention. Healthcare organisations should ensure that local IPC policies, education and clinical practice support staff to undertake appropriate risk assessment rather than encouraging routine glove use. The key messages are:

• Gloves should be worn when indicated following an assessment of the task and anticipated exposure risk.
• Gloves do not replace hand hygiene.
• Unnecessary glove use may increase opportunities for cross-contamination.
• Appropriate glove use protects patients and healthcare workers while reducing financial and environmental costs.
• Healthcare organisations should support staff through clear policies, education and leadership that promote appropriate glove use.

The position statement forms part of a wider programme of work by UK infection societies to ensure that high-quality infection prevention is aligned with environmentally and socially sustainable healthcare.

Read the full position statement:

UK infection societies' position statement on glove use in health and social care

Clinical Infection in Practice (2026), Article 100708

DOI: 10.1016/j.clinpr.2026.100708