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Infection Control and Prevention

Policy Statement

The aim of this policy and the recommended procedures is to prevent the spread of infection amongst staff, service users and the local community.  These applies to all staff working in the healthcare organisations because they are in constant risk of infection or of spreading infection, especially if their role brings them into contact with blood or bodily fluids like urine, faeces, vomit or sputum.

Such substances may well contain pathogens that can be spread if staff do not take adequate precautions. Disposable gloves, face masks and protective clothing such as aprons offer staff some protection from being contaminated with an infection and then passing it on to somebody else.

Care Contact Ltd believes that adherence to strict guidelines on infection control is of paramount importance in ensuring the safety of both service users and staff. It also believes that good, basic hygiene is the most powerful weapon against infection, particularly with respect to hand washing.

Aims are to;

  • Service users, their families and staff are as safe as possible from acquiring infections through work-based activities
  • All staff at the organisation are aware of and put into operation basic principles of infection control.

The following can lead to infection/cross infection;

  • Contaminated equipment or instruments
  • Infection sources in the clinical environment
  • Dirty hands
  • Failure to adequately cleanse and disinfect skin prior to injection/invasive procedure
  • Failure to safely dispose of used swabs, protective clothing or instruments
  • Accidental needle stick/sharps injury

Procedures    

  • Care Manager as the Responsible Person will co-ordinate all actions and the team will complete the Plan for this topic.
  • All staff are required to make infection control a key priority and to act at all times in a way that is compliant with safe, modern and effective infection control practice.
  • The management of the organisation will make every effort to ensure that staff working in the homes of service users have access to sufficient facilities and supplies of appropriate equipment to ensure that they can implement effective infection control procedures and techniques.
  • Staff are expected to have the required vaccinations recommended in compliance with safe, modern and infection control practices
  • If any staff are concerned, they should follow NHS advice, e.g., in case of a contagious infection such as covid; if they are advised to self-isolate at home, they should follow Covid-19 stay at home guidance, they should not visit all care for individuals until it is safe to do so.
  • If the individual receiving care/support show symptoms of Covid-19, risk to their health and wellbeing must be assessed and appropriate action taken.
  • Any staff who does not feel that they have access to sufficient facilities and supplies of appropriate equipment to ensure that they can implement effective infection control procedures and techniques have a duty to inform their line manager or supervisor

Risk Management

  • Personal Hygiene
  • Hair must be tied back to prevent it requiring frequent touching (e.g. to remove it from eyes) or touching the patient or equipment during treatment.
  • Fingernails must be short and clean- without varnish or extensions.
  • Wristwatches, bracelets and rings should not be worn whilst performing clinical procedures.
  • Long sleeves must be rolled up

Personal Protection

  • Disposable examination gloves must be worn when performing procedures
  • Disposable aprons should be worn to protect clothing if there is a risk of blood splashing
  • Protective eyewear should be worn when performing Laser/IPL treatments
  • Face masks should be worn when filling or disposing of soiled microdermabrasion crystals
  • Clinical staff should have Hep B immunity

Hand Hygiene

  • Rub palm to palm
  • Rub palm over the back of the hand, fingers interlaced
  • Palm to palm, fingers interlaced
  • Fingers interlocked into palms
  • Rotational rubbing of thumb clasped into the palm
  • Rotational rubbing of clasped fingers into the palm
  • Dry the hands thoroughly

Using Soap and Water;

  • Wet hands with warm water before applying soap
  • Apply liquid soap to all surfaces of the hands
  • Rub hands vigorously for at least 15 seconds
  • Rinse thoroughly using warm water
  • Dry thoroughly using a disposable paper towel

Using Alcohol Hand Gel;

  • Ensure hands are free from visible soiling
  • Apply alcohol gel to all surfaces of the hands
  • rub continuously until all the alcohol has dried

Alcohol hand gel may only be used as an alternative to washing when hands are visibly clean.

Hand Washing Should Take Place;

  • On arrival at work
  • On leaving work
  • After using the toilet
  • Before and after each care
  • Before handling food or drink
  • After removing gloves
  • After handling potentially contaminated products or laundry

All cuts and grazes on hands and forearms must be covered with waterproof dressings

Housekeeping

The work surfaces are cleaned daily, including treatment couches and chairs, with antiseptic products such as alcohol wipes or sanitizing spray.

  • Workplace furniture including telephones and fittings are kept clean
  • The floor is washed daily
  • Storage drawers and cupboards should be cleaned (local policy)
  • Medicines fridge should be cleaned (local policy)
  • Reusable medical devices should be wiped using alcohol wipes at the end of each treatment
  • Non disposable linen when soiled (local policy)
  • Soiled soft waste such as swabs and couch roll should be disposed of in the designated clinical waste bags.
  • All waste is removed from the treatment room daily and disposed of (local policy)
  • Soap and paper towel dispensers are kept topped up
  • Toilets are cleaned and disinfected daily

Event of a Sharps Injury

In the event of sharps injury, when contaminated with Service users’ blood, First Aid must be administered as below:

  • The wound should be encouraged to bleed by squeezing the wound should be washed thoroughly with soap and warm water
  • Splashes to the eyes, mouth or nose should be washed promptly and thoroughly with tap water or preferably eye wash solution
  • The wound should be covered with a dressing
  • Ascertain the HIV/HepB status of the donor and or assess risk of infection. Social history may indicate risk if status unknown.
  • Send recipient of injury immediately to the nearest NHS Centre (as above).
  • Contact the nearest NHS Centre to inform them of the incident and that the recipient is on the way.
  • Ensure that the following information is available to the NHS:
  • HIV/Hep B /Hep C status of recipient
  • HIV/ Hep B/Hep C status of the donor (patient)
  • Risk Assessment details and Incident record form should be completed.

The Handling and Disposal of Clinical and Soiled Waste  

  • All waste, soiling and others produced from contact with the service user should be disposed of in control waste bags before being placed in domestic waste bin when leaving the service user’s home. For further information, please read our Clinical Waste Policy
  • Non-clinical waste should be disposed of in normal black plastic bags.
  • Staff should alert their manager if they are running out of any protective equipment.
  • Cleaning and Procedures for the Cleaning of Spillages
  • Staff should treat every spillage of body fluids or body waste as quickly as possible and as potentially infectious.
  • When cleaning up a spillage staff should wear protective gloves and aprons provided.

The Use of Protective Clothing

The use of protective clothing and other equipment are key aspect of the Infection control policy. Infection control covers a wide range of policies, procedures and techniques intended to prevent the spread of infectious diseases amongst staff and service users. Management and all staff must ensure the appropriate use of PPE in-order for the Risk of transmission to be minimised through safe working procedures.

  • Adequate and suitable personal protective equipment and clothing will be provided by the organisation.
  • All staff should who are at risk of coming into direct contact with body fluids or who are performing personal care tasks should use disposable gloves and disposable aprons.
  • If in close personal contact with any individual such as washing/bathing or personal care and contact with bodily fluids, aprons, face mask, shoe covers, gloves and fluid repellent should be used.
  • All used PPE should be stored securely within disposable rubbish bags and stored away from other waste in the room and set aside for at least 72 hours before being put into usual household waste bin.
  • Sterile gloves are provided for clinical procedures such as applying dressings. These should be worn at all times during service user contact and should be changed between service users. On no account should staff attempt to wash and reuse the gloves.
  • Non-sterile gloves are provided for non-clinical procedures.
  • Used PPE should be changed in each episode of care.
  • The responsibility for ordering and ensuring that supplies of gloves and aprons are readily available and accessible lies with Millennium24 Healthcare Ltd.
  • Any member of staff who suspects that they or a service user might be suffering from an allergic reaction to the latex gloves provided should stop using them immediately and inform their line manager.
  • They should then consult their GP.

Vaccination

Care Contact has the obligation to ensure that all the service providers comply with the policy on vaccination:

  • This policy on vaccination applies to all staff who might contract an infectious illness through the course of their work, which is preventable through immunisation.
  • This outcome is cross referenced to Outcome 8 Cleanliness and Infection Control, Code of Practice for Health and Adult Social Care on the Prevention and Control of Infections and Related Guidance.

Ensuring the Effectiveness of the Policy

All staff members will receive a copy of the policy, and associated guidance notes. Existing and new workers will be introduced to the policy via induction and training. The policy will be reviewed annually and amendments will be proposed and agreed by Care Contact.

Non-Adherence

Breaches of this policy may be referred to the appropriate statutory body and will be dealt with under the Grievance and/or Disciplinary procedures as appropriate.

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Home care & support

We keep you in control and provide you with the home care services and support you want, where and when you want it. It’s your life and your care, so it must be your way.

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