Infection prevention control information for health and social care providers
The prevention, minimisation and control of the risk of health care associated infections to patients, staff, visitors and carers is a high priority for Kirklees and Wakefield Councils Public Health Services.
Infection prevention and control is about the reduction and prevention of infections, particularly those associated with healthcare. An example of transmission is infection being spread on the hands of healthcare workers or carers.
Work in this area includes:
- Education and training in infection control
- Staff use of good handwashing techniques
- Use of alcohol hand rubs where appropriate
- The use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (such as disposable gloves and aprons)
- Requiring and maintaining high standards of cleanliness in the environment, including equipment
- Recognition, advice, education and support with signs and symptoms of infection
- Infection Prevention and Control Audits of care provision
- Working in partnership with Hospitals, Public Health and other government departments
- Support to care organisations with outbreak issues
There are several guidance documents and legal Acts that underpin the work of infection control.
COVID-19 Outbreak Control Plan
Outlines clear roles and responsibilities of health and care services to manage outbreaks within a wide range of settings and population groups.
Care home guidance
This policy is provided to assist care homes managers in ensuring high quality infection prevention and control (IPC) practices are undertaken within their healthcare environment premises.
Management resources
- Managing medicines in care homes NICE
- Sharps waste segregation poster KC
- Catheter Care RCN
- Health and safety in care homes HSE
- Infection prevention and control: resource for adult social care GOV.UK
- Infection prevention and control: quick guide for care workers GOV.UK
- Health protection in education and childcare settings GOV.UK
Infection prevention audit toolkit
- Guidelines for completing infection prevention audit tools KC
- Standard precautions audit KC
- Wound care audit tools KC
- Catheter insertion audit tool KC
- Continuing care of urinary catheters audit tool KC
- Completing feeding audit tool KC
- Pre-acceptance healthcare waste self audit tool KC
- Mattress cleaning audit tool KC
Guidance at a glance
Example documents
Antibiotic resistance and antibiotic guardianship
Environmental cleaning resources and posters
Risk assessments
Outbreak documents
- COVID-19 outbreak documentation
- Diarrhoea and vomiting outbreak documentation
- Flu outbreak documentation
- Scabies outbreak documentation
- Outbreak poster KC
- Care home closed poster KC
- Fluid balance/stool chart KC
- The colour of urine chart KC
- Collecting a faecal sample in an outbreak KC
- Diarrhoea and vomiting outbreaks - top tips KC
- National flu immunisation programme plan 2022 to 2023
Contact
- Kirklees Council
- Address Kirklees and Wakefield Council Infection Prevention and Control Team, PO Box 1720, Huddersfield, HD1 9EL
- Phone 01484 221000 (ask for Infection Control)
- Email infection.control@kirklees.gov.uk
- IPCT Twitter @IPCTinKirklees
- Infection prevention and control Kirklees and Wakefield Council Facebook Infection prevention and control Kirklees and Wakefield Council
- UKHSA
- Phone 0113 386 0300
- Out of hours: Phone 0151 909 1219