Infection Control

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, …

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 …

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 …

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.

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.

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 …

Health Boards should ensure that where Infection Control Nurses provide instructions on the management of patients those instructions are recorded in patient notes.

Scottish Government should ensure that policies and guidance on healthcare associated infection are accompanied by an implementation strategy and that implementation is monitored.

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.

Scottish Government should develop local healthcare Associated infection (HAI) Task Forces within each Health Board area.

Health Boards should ensure that all those working in a healthcare setting have mandatory infection prevention control training that includes CDI on appointment.

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.

Health Boards should ensure that performance appraisals of infection prevention and control staff take place at least annually.

Health Boards should ensure that where a manager has responsibility for oversight of infection prevention control, this is specified in the job description.

Health Boards should ensure that the Infection Control Manager has direct responsibility for the infection prevention control service and its staff.

Health Boards should ensure that the ICM is responsible for reporting to the Board on the state of HAI in the organisation.

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.

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.

Health Boards should ensure that any Infection Control Team functions as a team, with clear lines of communication and regular meetings.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Health Boards should ensure that attendance by members of committees in the infection prevention and control structure is treated as a priority.

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.

Health Boards should ensure that cohorting is not used as a substitute for single room isolation and is only resorted to in exceptional circumstances.

Health Boards should ensure that appropriate steps are taken to isolate patients with potentially infectious diarrhoea.

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 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 …

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 …

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 …

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.