The examples below provide insight into how other Good or Outstanding rated services are succeeding in this area of inspection.
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5 moments for hand hygiene at the point of care
Vida Healthcare work closely with the local NHS Infection Control Team. Our aims and objectives are to be safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led. We know the importance of involving clinical staff in the implementation of infection prevention and control (IPC), it is embedded in our daily practice. This ensures that wherever possible we prevent the spread of infection.
The 5 moments for hand hygiene at the point of care are ensure that our infection prevention control is aligned to best practice:
- Before patient contact
- Before a clean / aseptic procedure
- After body fluid exposure risk
- After patient contact
- After contact with patient surroundings
All our team at Vida Healthcare are inducted on starting with the Learning and Development team and our issued with a Preventing Infection Control workbook.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: Vida Healthcare
Date published: January 2022
Keeping people safe from seasonal health risks
As a care provider protecting people from COVID-19, the flu, and other seasonal health risks, it is important that we remain focused on safe and effective Infection, prevention, and control.
It’s important that what we do to keep people and our staff safe is consistent. This includes ensuring we continue to use PPE and don and doff correctly, constant checking of touchpoints, as well as regularly wash our hands following best practice.
These safety measures are not just for the team, it’s also important for the visitors to follow such processes too. Compliance with the use of masks and not pulling them down to speak is something we need to do, to minimise the risk of infection.
These safety measures can be time consuming but remains so important to minimise the risk of infection.
If there is an outbreak, communication is key. Let people and their families know, being transparent is really key. That’s one of our strengths, I'm very communicative with families.
We send out regular coronavirus updates, and we make sure that if hypothetically we have an outbreak, we would let families and friends know here is the estimated date that things will return to normal for us in terms of visiting. Here's what we're going to do now and encourage people to contact me if they have questions or concerns.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: Castleford House Nursing Home
Date published: October 2021
Hand hygiene
People had been involved in prompting hand hygiene awareness and developing a new hand hyenine initiative to minimise the risk of infections spreading. This included people being offered each other warm towels in the dining room at lunchtime to clean their hands. One person commented, "It's a great idea. It's simple but makes you stop and think about germs spreading."
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: The Royal Star & Garter Homes - Solihull
Date published: March 2020
Robust cleaning and protection based on NHS best practice
There was good infection control management with a staff member leading this role specialism. Staff had worked through the NHS Infection Prevention Control folder implementing good, safe practices within the home.
Staff had received bespoke training related to the premises and people they supported including single use gloves, hand hygiene and correct disposal of waste. There were robust cleaning schedules to include an audit on equipment such as wheelchairs, profiling beds, mattresses, hoist slings and also 'quality of life' products in communal areas. There was plenty of personal protection equipment and we saw this being used appropriately. People were also encouraged to be involved as much as they could be in cleaning and tidying.
Read more about this service here.
Care provider: Wisteria House Dementia Care Ltd
Date published: January 2019
Ensuring food is prepared and stored safely
All refrigerated food was covered and dated. There was sufficient stock of dried foods. Meals were cooked freshly in the kitchen and transferred to heated serving trolleys, one for each unit. The hot trolley included a list of required diets which ensured people received the correct diet. The temperature of the trolleys and food served was regularly monitored.
Care provider: Anonymous
Date published: April 2018
Utilising external expertise
An external environmental health officer had recently awarded the service a maximum five-star rating for hygiene.
Care provider: Anonymous
Date published: April 2018
Allocate a lead person or champion
The service has an infection control lead who is passionate about their role and dedicated to providing a high level of cleanliness.
They keep up-to-date records detailing spot checks, cleaning rotas and hand hygiene audits. They regularly meet with the staff team to discuss a range of issues, from prevention of common seasonal viruses to good hand hygiene etc. Staff placed importance on preventing the spread of infection, and put their learning into practice
Care provider: Anonymous
Date published: April 2018