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Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) Information for providers
In this section
Covid-19 and Respiratory Illnesses
Latest guidanceNorovirus
Latest guidanceScabies
Latest guidanceAdmissions
Latest guidanceInfection Prevention and Control
Latest guidanceGuidance
- Infection prevention and control: resource for adult social care
- COVID-19 supplement to the infection prevention and control resource for adult social care
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?
- COVID-19: infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance – hand rub technique poster and hand wash technique poster
- How to wash your hands video
- How to wash your hands poster
Respiratory Hygiene
- Catch it, bin it, kill it
- National Infection Prevention and Control Manual: standard infection control precautions literature reviews – includes cough etiquette
PPE
- National Infection Prevention and Control Manual: standard infection control precautions literature reviews – includes aprons, gloves and face protection.
- Respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
- COVID-19: personal protective equipment use for non-aerosol generating procedures – includes guide to putting on and taking off PPE.
Safe Management of Care Equipment
- Single-use medical devices: implications and consequences of re-use
- National Infection Prevention and Control Manual: standard infection control precautions literature reviews – includes management of patient care equipment
Safe Management of the Environment
- NHS England, Health Building Note 00-09: infection control in the built environment
- The Academy of Medical Sciences, COVID-19: looking ahead to winter 2021-22 and beyond
- The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, Emerging from lockdown
- NHS England, HTM 03-01: specialised ventilation for healthcare buildings
- HSE, Ventilation and air conditioning during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
- Royal Academy of Engineering, Infection resilient environments
- NICE, Indoor air quality at home
- WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: selected pollutants
- WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: dampness and mould
- WHO, Natural ventilation for infection control in healthcare settings
- Ventilation: approved document F
- Ventilation tool: breathe freely
- HSE; Identifying poorly ventilated areas by using CO2 monitors
Management of Laundry
- National Resource for Infection Control (NRIC): national specifications for cleanliness: care homes
- National Infection Prevention and Control Manual: standard infection control precautions literature reviews – includes safe management of the care environment, and linen)
- NICE care home quick guides
- NICE, Healthcare-associated infections: prevention and control in primary and community care
- NHS England, HTM 01-04: decontamination of linen for health and social care
- HSE, COSHH essentials for service and retail publications, (including SR4 – manual cleaning and disinfecting surfaces)
Management of Blood and Body Fluid Spills
Waste Management
- National Infection Prevention and Control Manual: standard infection control precautions literature reviews – includes safe disposal of waste literature review
- NHS England, HTM 07-01: management and disposal of healthcare waste
- Classify different types of waste: healthcare and related wastes
Management of Exposure
- HSE, Blood-borne viruses in the workplace: guidance for employers and employees
- HSE, How to deal with an exposure incident
- National Infection Prevention and Control Manual, Appendix 10: best practice – management of occupational exposure incidents
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
- Social Care Institute for Excellence, Infection control e-learning course
- LBS Infection Control and Prevention Training 23/24
- Wednesday 17th May, 1.30pm – 4.30pm, Virtual
- This course is targeted to: Social Care staff, START Team, Sutton Inclusion Centre, Occupational Therapy Team, and commissioned providers within Nursing, Residential and Day Care Services, including Home Carers.
- Book here
Links to other resources
- IPC good practice guide
- 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 November 24th, 2023 at 12:40pm
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