Infection Control
Tag overview
recommendation across 3 inquiries
Across 3 inquiries
Tagged Recommendations
Clarity in brief for healthcare facility construction
It is critical that a health board formulates and then presents its requirements for the key building systems in a proposed healthcare facility (its "brief") in terms which are full, …
IPC role specifications and staffing levels
I accordingly recommend that priority be given to protecting scarce IPC resources. With that objective in view, what is expected of consideration and advice from individual disciplines at various stages …
HEI ward closure powers
Scottish Government should ensure that the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (HEI) has the power to close a ward to new admissions if the HEI concludes that there is a real risk …
CDI infection control advice
Health Boards should ensure that when a patient has CDI patients and relatives are given clear and proper advice on the necessary infection control precautions.
CDI outbreak reporting
Health Boards should ensure that the nurse in charge of each ward reports suspected outbreaks of CDI (as defined in local guidance) to the Infection Control Team.
Ward admission responsibility
Health Boards should ensure that where there is risk of cross infection, the nurse in charge of a ward has ultimate responsibility for admission of patients to the ward or …
ICN instructions recorded
Health Boards should ensure that where Infection Control Nurses provide instructions on the management of patients those instructions are recorded in patient notes.
HAI implementation strategy
Scottish Government should ensure that policies and guidance on healthcare associated infection are accompanied by an implementation strategy and that implementation is monitored.
IPC policy review
Health Boards should ensure that infection prevention and control policies are reviewed promptly in response to any new policies or guidance issued by or on behalf of the Scottish Government.
Local HAI Task Forces
Scottish Government should develop local healthcare Associated infection (HAI) Task Forces within each Health Board area.
Mandatory IPC training
Health Boards should ensure that all those working in a healthcare setting have mandatory infection prevention control training that includes CDI on appointment.
IPC staff regular training
Health Boards should ensure that Infection Control Nurses and Infection Control Doctors have regular training in infection prevention and control of which a record should be kept.
IPC staff appraisals
Health Boards should ensure that performance appraisals of infection prevention and control staff take place at least annually.
Manager IPC job description
Health Boards should ensure that where a manager has responsibility for oversight of infection prevention control, this is specified in the job description.
ICM direct responsibility
Health Boards should ensure that the Infection Control Manager has direct responsibility for the infection prevention control service and its staff.
ICM Board HAI reporting
Health Boards should ensure that the ICM is responsible for reporting to the Board on the state of HAI in the organisation.
National ICM role guidance
Scottish Government should re-issue national guidance on the role of the ICM, stipulating that the ICM must be responsible for the management of the infection prevention and control service.
24/7 IPC cover
Health Boards should ensure that there is 24-hour cover for infection prevention and control seven days a week, and that contingency plans for leave and sickness absence are in place.
ICT functions as team
Health Boards should ensure that any Infection Control Team functions as a team, with clear lines of communication and regular meetings.
IPC policy adherence audits
Health Boards should ensure that adherence to infection prevention and control polices, for example C. difficile and Loose Stools Policies, is audited at least annually.
Surveillance systems fit for purpose
Health Boards should ensure that surveillance systems are fit for purpose, are simple to use and monitor, and provide information on potential outbreaks in real time.
Regular IPC group meetings
Health Boards should ensure that infection prevention and control groups meet at regular intervals and that there is appropriate reporting upwards through the management structure.
IPC committee minutes reporting
Health Boards should ensure that the minutes of all meetings and reports from each infection prevention and control committee are reported to the level above in the hierarchy.
Priority attendance at IPC meetings
Health Boards should ensure that attendance by members of committees in the infection prevention and control structure is treated as a priority.
Cleanliness Champions implementation
Health Boards should ensure that programmes designed to improve staff knowledge of good infection prevention and control practice, such as Cleanliness Champions Programme, are implemented without undue delay.
Cohorting only exceptional
Health Boards should ensure that cohorting is not used as a substitute for single room isolation and is only resorted to in exceptional circumstances.
Isolation for infectious diarrhoea
Health Boards should ensure that appropriate steps are taken to isolate patients with potentially infectious diarrhoea.
IPC clinical governance meetings
Health Boards should ensure that infection prevention and control is explicitly considered at all clinical governance committee meetings from local level to Board level.
Health Protection Agency Coordination and publication of providers' information on healthcare associated infections
The Health Protection Agency and its successor, should coordinate the collection, analysis and publication of information on each provider's performance in relation to healthcare associated infections, working with the Health …
Sharing concerns
If the Health Protection Agency or its successor, or the relevant local director of public health or equivalent official, becomes concerned that a provider's management of healthcare associated infections is …
Support for other agencies
Public Health England should review the support and training that health protection staff can offer to local authorities and other agencies in relation to local oversight of healthcare providers' infection …
Hygiene
All staff and visitors need to be reminded to comply with hygiene requirements. Any member of staff, however junior, should be encouraged to remind anyone, however senior, of these.