Infection prevention control
Latest information and guidance on care home infection prevention controls (IPC).
New IPC guidance specific to care homes
The guidance is for people responsible for setting and maintaining standards of IPC within adult social care in England, such as care managers.
View COVID-19 supplement for information on the changes that apply and have been updated to the Guidance Infection prevention and control in adult social care. This sets out how to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in adult social care settings in England and on measures that remain unchanged.
This supplement should also be read with the adult social care testing guidance, which details the testing regimes for all staff, as well as any resident and outbreak testing where applicable.
Updated DHSC COVID-19 guidance
The following changes have been made to the 'COVID-19 supplement to the infection prevention and control resource for adult social care’:
- Updated section on face masks: Visitors as well as staff might consider wearing a mask if they are aware they are a household or overnight contact of someone who has had a positive test result for COVID-19. 15 December 2022
- Updated to reflect announcement on use of masks: the guidance now recommends a risk-based approach. The guidance has also been updated to reflect changes to outbreak management in care homes that enable providers to initiate risk assessment themselves. Added a section covering if a member of staff is symptomatic or tests positive for COVID-19
- Updated to add links to COVID-19 PPE guide for adult social care services and settings, COVID-19 PPE guide for unpaid carers, and PPE guide for non-aerosol generating procedures.
For more information:
- COVID-19 PPE guide for adult social care services and settings
- COVID-19 PPE guide for unpaid carers
- PPE guide for non-aerosol generating procedures
Maintaining IPC, PPE, acting promptly on results and outbreak measures remains important. The information below is a quick reference.
IPC measures | |
---|---|
Vaccination | As many people as possible getting vaccinated and boosted |
PPE | Maintaining PPE adherence to keep people safe |
Testing | Continued symptomatic testing to identify positive cases |
Acting on results | Isolating/staying far away upon a positive test result, following rapid response/outbreak protocols and/or obtaining therapeutics |
Outbreak measures | Alerting HPTs and following outbreak measures to prevent further transmission |
Visiting | Ensuring residents can have at least one visitor - even if isolating or in outbreak |
Prevention and Control of Infections Code of Practice
The code of practice document has been updated to reflect changes to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, and the role of infection prevention and control (IPC) (including cleanliness) in optimising antimicrobial use and reducing antimicrobial resistance. The new document takes account of changes to the IPC landscape and nomenclature that have occurred since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read Health and Social Care Act 2008: code of practice on the prevention and control of infections
Summary guidance for ASC providers
These summarised tables (GOV.UK) are designed to highlight where guidance about COVID-19 for ASC specifically for care homes has been changed. Topics include: clarified suctioning and tracheostomy procedures, Dementia considerations and the wearing of masks by visitors, covering staff, shifts away from asymptomatic testing, new staff testing, residents, admissions, managing contact with people with COVID, discharge from hospital into a care home, resident symptomatic management and visiting arrangements.
Includes updated section on face masks: Visitors as well as staff might consider wearing a mask if they are aware they are a household or overnight contact of someone who has had a positive test result for COVID-19.
Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGPs)
AGPs are medical procedures that can cause the release of particles from the respiratory tract which can increase the risk of airborne transmission to those in the immediate area. AGPs in the community include suctioning procedures on people with tracheostomies, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or ventilatory support.
A FFP3 respirator is required when carrying out an AGP on a resident with known or suspected COVID-19 or other infection spread by the airborne or droplet route. The use of FFP3 respirators is governed by Health and Safety regulations which state that the user must be trained and fit tested. There are regulated recommended companies/trainers who can be sourced to undertake fit testing (enquire through your local Public Health Team at PublicHealthEnquiries@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk).
Workers should wear a 11R face mask when carrying out AGPs on residents not known or suspected to have COVID-19 or other infection spread by the airborne or droplet route.
Gloves and eye protection should also be used, and gowns instead of aprons.
Identify any residents with AGPs and ensure that workers who may be exposed have been fit tested, are trained and that a ready supply of FFP3 respirators are available.
National resources
- Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement/Summary of changes to COVID-19 guidance for adult social care providers. This is to be read in conjunction with the adult social care testing guidance which details the testing regimes for all staff, as well as any resident and outbreak testing where applicable
- COVID-19 PPE guide for adult social care services and settings
- COVID-19 PPE guide for unpaid carers
- PPE guide for non-aerosol generating procedures
- New DHSC guidance: Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement 31 March 2022
- Guidance: Infection prevention and control resource for adult social care - applies 4 April 2022
- NHS National infection prevention and control manual offers guidance on infection control for NHS healthcare staff of all disciplines in all care settings including ASC - updated 6 February 2023 and Accessible version 2.4. Updated 25 January 2023.
- National IPC Manual for England
- Guidance for Living safely with respiratory infections, including COVID-19 - updated 16 June 2022
- People with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19 - GOV.UK - 10 June 2022
- Public health principles for reducing the spread of respiratory infections: Reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, in the workplace - updated 10 June 2022
- Guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) - updated 27 May 2022
- Guidance on the ventilation of indoor spaces to reduce the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19 - updated 26 May 2022
- COVID -19: guidance for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk - updated 30 January 2023
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for adult social care services - 15 December 2022. This outlines the COVID-19 testing available for staff, residents, and visitors for all adult social care services and covers:
- COVID-19 testing in adult social care
- Care home outbreak testing flowchart: staff and residents (text alternative) A new variant of concern may affect testing procedures. Note: This document is being updated following changes to outbreak management guidance and outbreak testing guidance
- How to use your rapid lateral flow test - Updated 15 December 2022
- COVID-19 testing: terms and conditions - Updated 15 December 2022
- Outbreak Testing in Care Homes Section 2.4 COVID-19 testing in adult social care - Updated 15 May 2022
- COVID-19 self-test for staff, service users and visitors in adult social care settings: privacy notice - Updated 15 December 2022
- The government’s plan for removing the remaining legal restrictions while protecting people most vulnerable to COVID-19 and maintaining resilience: COVID-19 Response: Living with COVID-19 - updated 6 May 2022
- COVID-19: managing healthcare staff with symptoms of a respiratory infection
- COVID-19: information and advice for health and care professionals - Updated 6 September 2022
- SCIE Infection control e-learning course