Infection Prevention and Control

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) lead

The lead for infection prevention and control at Market Surgery is Cath Vaughan, Lead Nurse.

The IPC Deputy is Niamh Alexander, Practice Nurse

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Annual Statement

This annual statement will be generated each year in March in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance. The report will be published on the practice website and will include the following summary:

• Any infection transmission incidents and any action taken (these will have been reported in accordance with our significant event procedure)
• Details of any infection control audits undertaken, and actions undertaken
• Details of any risk assessments undertaken for the prevention and control of infection
• Details of staff training
• Any review and update of policies, procedures and guidelines

Infection transmission incidents (significant events)

Significant events involve examples of good practice as well as challenging events.

Positive events are discussed at meetings to allow all staff to be appraised of areas of best practice.

Negative events are managed by the staff member who either identified or was advised of any potential shortcoming. This person will complete a Significant Event Analysis (SEA) form that commences an investigation process to establish what can be learnt and to indicate changes that might lead to future improvements.

All significant events are reviewed and discussed at regular practice meetings. Any learning points are cascaded to all relevant staff where an action plan, including audits or policy review, may follow.

In the past year there has been no significant events raised that related to infection control. There have also been no complaints made regarding cleanliness or infection control.

Infection prevention audit and actions

Internal audits:

• Decontamination audit – 6 monthly,
• IPC display information – 6 monthly,
• IPC building standards audit – annually,
• Handwashing audit (with lightbox) – annually,
• Handwashing (peer to peer) – annually,
• Handwashing facilities – 6 monthly,
• Sharps box audit – 3 monthly,
• Routine vaccine management review audit – 3 monthly,
• Environmental cleanliness audit – monthly

Risk assessments

Risk assessments are carried out so that any risk is minimised to be as low as reasonably practicable. Additionally, a risk assessment that can identify best practice can be established and then followed.

In the last year, the following risk assessments were carried out/reviewed:

• Legionella
• Water safety.
• Cleaning standards
• Staff vaccination

Training

In addition to staff being involved in IPC audits and significant events, at Market Surgery all staff and contractors receive IPC induction training on commencing their post. Thereafter, all staff receive refresher training annually.

Policies and Procedures

The infection prevention and control related policies and procedures that have been written, updated or reviewed in the last year include, but are not limited, to:

• Aseptic technique,
• Decontamination,
• Elements, performance parameters and cleaning frequencies,
• Hand hygiene,
• Infection control cleaning,
• Infection control,
• Isolation of patients,
• Notifiable diseases,
• Outbreaks of communicable disease,
• Patient placement and assessment of infection risk,
• Personal protective equipment,
• Safe management of blood and bodily fluids,
• Safe management of waste,
• Safe water,
• Sharps,
• Specimen collection,
• Standard infection control precautions and transmission-based precautions,
• Treatment room privacy curtains,
• Uniform,
• Viral gastroenteritis

Policies relating to infection prevention and control are available to all staff and are reviewed and updated annually. Additionally, all policies are amended on an ongoing basis as per current advice, guidance and legislation changes.