Top ten tips… on infection control
Post date: 22/07/2015 | Time to read article: 1 minsThe information within this article was correct at the time of publishing. Last updated 14/11/2018
Clinical Risk Manager Kate Taylor shares her top tips for controlling infection in general practice.
Practices must adhere to the CQC’s standards to comply with CQC registration. Follow these top tips to ensure you do.
- Ensure the practice has a nominated lead responsible for infection control issues within the practice.
- Make sure the premises are clean, with a designated person responsible for the cleaning of the practice.
- Provide accurate information for patients about infection control issues.
- Provide accurate information on infections to all persons providing support or nursing/medical care.
- Patients who have infections should receive appropriate initial advice and treatment.
- All staff in the practice should receive appropriate infection control training, including hand washing, safe handling and disposal of clinical waste, dealing with spillages, etc.
- Provide adequate isolation facilities for patients presenting with an infectious condition.
- Secure adequate access to diagnostic, microbiology and virology laboratory services.
- Discuss and maintain infection control policies, such as safe handling and disposal of sharps, aseptic technique, decontamination of instruments, etc.
- Ensure healthcare workers are protected from exposure to infections, including risk assessing for relevant vaccinations and regular screening for TB and BBVs.
Online audit tool
Every year 300,000 patients in England acquire a healthcare-associated infection. Infection control is at the top of everyone’s agenda, as well as being key criteria for a CQC inspection.
Medical Protection has developed an online audit tool to identify what your practice is doing well and what you could improve on.
Free workshop
Our free workshop will give you a clear understanding of the importance of infection control. It will provide you with the skills to manage and reduce infection in your practice and comply with national standards.
Please note: Medical Protection does not maintain this article and therefore the advice given may be incorrect or out of date, and may not constitute a definitive or complete statement of the legal, regulatory and/or clinical environment. MPS accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the advice given, in particular where the legal, regulatory and/or clinical environment has changed. Articles are not intended to constitute advice in any specific situation, and if you are a member you should contact Medical Protection for tailored advice. All implied warranties and conditions are excluded, to the maximum extent permitted by law.
