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.
- The Scottish Government's response confirmed that the Infection Control Manager is an integral member of the organisation's infection prevention and control, clinical governance, and risk management frameworks. The revised HAI Standards require infection prevention and control to be considered at all levels of governance from ward to board.
- The HCAI Strategy 2023-2025 reinforces the requirement for HAI governance to be embedded within clinical governance structures at every level of NHS boards (Scottish HCAI Strategy 2023-2025 (https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-healthcare-associated-infection-hcai-strategy-2023-2025/)).
- Healthcare Improvement Scotland's inspection regime assesses whether infection prevention and control is explicitly addressed in clinical governance processes, providing external assurance of compliance.
- This recommendation is implemented through the HAI Standards governance requirements and monitored through HIS inspections.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedSection 2.2 and 3.2 of the Scottish Government's response confirm that the infection control manager is an integral member of the organisation's infection prevention control, clinical governance, and risk management committees. Section 3.2 further states that NHS boards are required to have infection-control committee structures in place to support board-to-ward and ward-to-board communication. This ensures that infection prevention and control is considered within the established governance frameworks.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
HIS IPC Standards published May 2022 include Standard 1 (Leadership and Governance) requiring IPC to be explicitly considered at all clinical governance levels from ward to Board. Standards apply to all health and adult social care settings in Scotland.
View detailed findings
Nine IPC Standards published using the Once for Scotland approach. Standard 1 directly addresses governance requirements. Care Inspectorate takes account of these standards in inspection and regulation.
QEUH/NHS GGC Oversight Board (established December 2019) found NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's response to IPC issues at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital was 'too short-term and reactive' with 'significant failings in governance.' This occurred within the same health board as the Vale of Leven outbreak.
View detailed findings
Oversight Board found one third of 118 episodes of serious bacterial infection in 84 children were 'most likely' linked to the hospital environment. Two of 22 children who died had deaths attributable at least in part to their infection. Duty of Candour was not formally activated. Key information (DMA Canyon water reports) not escalated to relevant staff.