Mandatory IPC training
Vale of Leven Inquiry · The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry Report · Issued 24 November 2014 · Addressed to: NHS Health Boards (Scotland)
Source — verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
Health Boards should ensure that all those working in a healthcare setting have mandatory infection prevention control training that includes CDI on appointment.
Vale of Leven Inquiry, The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry Report · 24 Nov 2014 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
Publicly available evidence relating to this recommendation:
- The Scottish Government's response confirmed that the HAI Taskforce delivery plan included education and training frameworks to ensure all those working in a healthcare setting have mandatory IPC training including CDI on appointment. The Cleanliness Champions Programme, introduced in September 2003, has been completed by over 18,000 NHS Scotland staff.
- NHS Education for Scotland (NES) provides national education programmes for IPC, including specialist training for Infection Control Nurses and Doctors, mandatory induction training for all healthcare workers, and continuing professional development resources.
- The HCAI Strategy 2023-2025 includes workforce education as a priority, with ARHAI Scotland supporting training and competency development across NHS boards (Scottish HCAI Strategy 2023-2025 (https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-healthcare-associated-infection-hcai-strategy-2023-2025/)).
- Regulatory bodies (NMC, GMC) require continuing professional development as a condition of registration, reinforced through revalidation processes.
Response — verbatim from government
●Scottish Government
Section 4.3 of the Scottish Government's response states that the HAI Taskforce delivery plan promoted a strategy to ensure all healthcare workers receive appropriate education and training related to HAI. The Cleanliness Champions Programme, which over 18,000 staff have completed, aims to prepare staff to promote and maintain a healthcare culture in which patient safety related to infection prevention and control is of the highest importance. This programme focuses on promoting safe practice and ensuring a safe patient environment.
Scottish Government · 18 Jun 2015 Written response →
Evidence trail — what's actually happened since
- 1 Jan 2025 · NHS Education for Scotland Scottish Infection Prevention and Control Education Pathway (SIPCEP) provides mandatory IPC training. Cleanliness Champions Programme trained over 18000 healthcare workers before integration into SIPCEP. IPC Zone available on Turas Learn platform. HIS IPC Standard 2 (Staff Education) requires mandatory IPC training for all healthcare workers. View source → Confirmed Completed
- 1 May 2022 · Healthcare Improvement Scotland Healthcare Improvement Scotland published new Infection Prevention and Control Standards in May 2022, applying to all health and adult social care settings in Scotland. These standards directly address many Vale of Leven recommendations on mandatory IPC training. View source → Confirmed Completed
Each entry above links to a primary source — gov.uk written statement, consultation response document, or inspection report. The Index does not characterise government intent; it tracks what has been published.
How this page is built
Source and Response are verbatim from primary documents. The Evidence trail records published activity since — written statements, consultation outcomes, inspection findings, parliamentary references. The Index does not paraphrase or characterise intent; it tracks what has been published. Where the evidence is the absence of action (a missed deadline, a slipped timetable), that absence is documented from primary sources rather than inferred.
This recommendation's data is verified periodically against primary sources. The Index is monitored for staleness weekly.