Infection Prevention and Control is the work an organisation does to identify potential risks for spread of infection between patients, and between patients and staff, and to take measures to reduce that risk. The Practice takes its responsibility for this very seriously, for the safety of services users and staff. All staff take responsibility for their own role in this, and all staff receive regular training in Infection Prevention and Control appropriate to their role.
- We take additional measures to ensure we maintain the highest standards:
- We encourage staff and patients to raise any issues or report any incidents relating to cleanliness and infection control. We discuss these and identify improvements we can make to avoid any future problems.
- We have a communication book used for any cleaning issues with our domestic staff.
- Quarterly Functional risk 4 audits are undertaken by EPBS – Eastpoint Business Services.
- We carry out an annual infection control audit to make sure our infection control procedures are working.
- We provide annual staff updates and training on cleanliness and infection control.
- We provide updates at each Clinical Forum Meeting.
- We review our policies and procedures annually to make sure they are adequate and meet national guidance.
- We have adopted the Community Infection Prevention and Control Policies for General Practice – NHS Norfolk and Waveney – Written and produced by Community Infection Prevention and Control Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.
- We maintain the premises and equipment to a high standard and ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to reduce or remove all infection risk.
- The equipment we use is disposable where possible e.g., couch rolls, privacy curtains, hand towels etc, and all other non-disposable equipment is cleaned according to manufacturer’s guidelines, to minimise the risk of infection.
- We make Alcohol Hand Rub Gel available throughout the practice.
Purpose of annual statement
In line with the Department of Health, The Health and Social Care Act 2008: Code of Practice on Prevention and Control of Infection and its Related Guidance (2015), the practice annual statement will be generated each year.
It will summarise:
- Any infection transmission incidents and any action taken (these will have been reported in accordance with our Significant Events Report procedures).
- Details of any infection control audits undertaken, and actions taken.
- Details of any infection control risk assessments undertaken.
- Details of any staff training
- Any review and update of policies, procedures, and guidelines.
Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Leads:
Nurse IPC Lead: Gail Quinn
IPC Deputy: Sharon Crudgington
Infection transmission incidents (Significant Events)
Significant events which may involve examples of good practice as well as learning events are investigated and discussed to see what can be learnt and to indicate changes that might lead to future improvements. All significant events are discussed in regular clinical meetings and/or non-clinical meetings and learning is cascaded to all relevant staff.
All significant events are available to staff on our online staff platform, Agilio TeamNet.
- During 2023 we had 3 fridge failures, but with procedures in place and data loggers, no vaccines were lost as the cold chain was not breached. Fridges were reported and repaired in a timely manner.
- Data Loggers for each of our vaccine fridges are downloaded on rotation and fridges cleaned once month. Fridge temperatures are all recorded on the fridge temperature paper logs. Clinic time is allocated, and a named nurse undertakes fridge temperature checks twice a day.
No other Infection Control significant events.
Infection Prevention Audit and Actions
The latest Annual Infection Prevention and Control audit was completed in March 2023. This involves a comprehensive review of all aspects of infection prevention and control within the surgery.
Beccles Medical Centre achieved a score of 97%
As a result of this audit, the following changes were made at Beccles Medical Centre:
- Flooring in clinical areas seams and edges have been checked and heat sealed by NHS maintenance team. In line with HBN 00-09: Infection control in the built environment DH 2013; HBN 00-10 Part A: Flooring DH 2013
- Curtains in all areas are checked and changed 6 monthly in line with HBN 00-09: Infection control in the built environment DH 2013; National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2021 NHS England & NHS Improvement; HBN 00-09: Infection control in the built environment DH 2013
- All chairs/ have been checked for damage and recovered with non-porous wipeable materials, In line with HBN 00-09: Infection control in the built environment DH 2013; Code of Practice or the prevention and control of infections 2015 Criterion 2
Beccles Medical Centre will continue to undertake the following audits in 2023/24:
- Annual Infection Prevention and Control audit
- Cold Chain (for safe storage and handling of vaccinations)
- Domestic Cleaning audit
- Hand hygiene audit
Training
All our staff receive annual online training in infection prevention and control.
- All clinical staff undertake Level 2 Infection Prevention and Control training.
- All non-clinical staff undertake Level 1 Infection Prevention and Control training, with the exception of the IPC Deputy who undertakes Level 2.
Policies
All Infection Prevention and Control related policies are kept up to date and reviewed annually.
Policies relating to Infection Prevention and Control are available to all staff and are reviewed in line with the Infection Control inspection and are amended on an on-going basis as current advice, guidance, and legislation changes.
Infection Control policies are available to all staff on the staff platform, Agilio Teamnet, and communicated to staff when updates or new policies are needed to be read and actioned or circulated amongst staff for reading. These are discussed at clinical and non-clinical meetings on a regular basis.
COVID 19 prevention.
- Personal Protective Equipment is readily available. We now offer to wear masks at the patient request as it is no longer policy to always wear them around the practice.
- Desks are clenil wiped down before and after each clinic by the clinician using the room.
If you have any concerns about cleanliness or infection control within the Beccles Medical Centre, please report these to our reception staff.
Beccles Medical Centre
December 2023