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.
- The HAI Standards require NHS boards to maintain IPC governance structures with regular meetings, appropriate reporting lines, and lay involvement. The requirement that attendance at IPC committee meetings is treated as a priority is embedded in the governance framework monitored by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
- The Scottish Government's response outlined the requirement for IPC governance at all organisational levels, from ward-based teams through to the board, with the ICM responsible for ensuring effective governance structures are in place.
- The NHS Reform (Scotland) Act 2004 requires NHS boards to involve patients and public in decision-making, which includes representation on governance committees including those dealing with IPC.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedSection 2.1 of the Scottish Government's response states that reducing HAI is a priority, leading to a wide range of measures driven by the national HAI Taskforce. This Taskforce has been restructured to provide efficient, effective, and targeted leadership, working with local teams and existing structures. Section 2.2 emphasizes the need for strong, focused leadership to ensure HAI policy is effectively implemented and monitored, implying that active participation in relevant committees is crucial for this priority.
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 (2022) Standard 1 (Leadership and Governance) addresses attendance requirements for IPC governance meetings. Monitored through HIS inspections.
View detailed findings
National standards address priority attendance at IPC meetings as part of governance requirements.