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Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) Information for providers
In this section
Good infection prevention and control (IPC), including cleanliness, is essential to ensure that people who use health and adult social care services receive safe and effective care.
It is essential that Adult social care services are up to date and familiar with key infection control guidance and regulations.
- Health and Social Care Act 2008: code of practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance
- Infection prevention and control: resource for adult social care
- GuidanceInfection prevention and control (IPC) in adult social care: acute respiratory infection (ARI) Updated 28 March 2024
- Notifiable diseases and causative organisms: how to report
- National infection prevention and control manual for England (updated February 2024)
If you have concerns surrounding possible outbreak of communicable reportable illnesses in your setting, please contact the UKHSA health protection team Email; [email protected] or Telephone 0300 303 0450
If you need further support please contact LBS public health team: [email protected]
Guidance
- Infection prevention and control: resource for adult social care
- Infection prevention and control in adult social care: acute respiratory infection
Standard Infection Control Precautions (SICPs)
To ensure safety, standard infection control precautions (SICPs) are to be used by all workers for all people whether infection is known to be present or not. SICPs are the basic IPC measures necessary to reduce the risk of spreading pathogens.
These basic IPC measures are:
- hand hygiene
- respiratory and cough hygiene
- PPE
- safe management of care equipment
- safe management of the environment
- management of laundry
- management of blood and body fluid spills
- waste management
- management of exposure
Sources of infection include blood and other body fluids, secretions or excretions (excluding sweat), non-intact skin, or mucous membranes, and any equipment or items in the environment that could have become contaminated.
The application of SICPs is determined by assessing risk to and from people. This includes the task, level of interaction, and/or the anticipated level of exposure to blood and/or other body fluids.
SICP Resources
Hand Hygiene
- WHO: hand hygiene
- ‘Your moments for hand hygiene’ poster
- National Infection Prevention and Control Manual: standard infection control precautions literature reviews – includes hand hygiene, hand hygiene products and skincare
- Hand hygiene: why, how and when?
- How to wash your hands video
- How to wash your hands poster
Respiratory Hygiene
https://www.england.nhs.uk/national-infection-prevention-and-control-manual-nipcm-for-england
PPE
- National Infection Prevention and Control Manual: standard infection control precautions literature reviews – includes aprons, gloves and face protection.
- Respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
Training and education
Training and education are essential to protect people from the risks of infection, along with maintaining competence in applying the principles of IPC.
- Skills for Care, Care certificate
- Add link for Sutton training
Links to other resources
- This document sets out the code of practice (the code) on the prevention and control of infections under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 – Health and Social Care Act 2008: code of practice on the prevention and control of infections
Page last updated on June 14th, 2024 at 12:39pm
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