Infection Prevention & Control

Covid-19 Infection Prevention and Control Guidance

This guidance outlines the infection prevention and control advice for health and social care providers involved in receiving, assessing and caring for patients who are a possible or confirmed case of COVID-19. It should be used in conjunction with local policies.

Last Updated: 21st Jan 2021

Admission and care of residents in a care home during COVID-19

This document updates the previous ‘Admission and care of residents during COVID-19 incident in a care home’ guidance published on 2 April 2020, in line with the support package for care homes and latest updated advice on testing, and infection prevention and control.

Supporting excellence in infection prevention and control behaviours: Implementation Toolkit

This implementation toolkit is designed as a one stop shop to provide information, resources, and ideas to local NHS organisations to address the barriers to behavioural compliance with IPC measures.

Ventilation and air conditioning during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

The latest advice on keeping workplaces safe will help you assess the risks and continue to reduce COVID-19 transmission. This includes links to information on vaccination, as well as on testing, tracking and tracing (including where variants are spreading).

Cleaning Resources Pack

Staff Movement

Staff movement: a risk management framework - a briefing for adult care home providers

This Care Provider Alliance briefing outlines a risk management approach that care homes can use to manage restrictions on staff movements.

Last Updated: 16th Feb

Restricting workforce movement between care homes and other care settings

Guidance for care home providers on limiting staff movement between settings in all but exceptional circumstances to help reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

Last Updated: 3rd March 2021

Audit and Compliance

Infection, Prevention and Control Compliance Assessment Tool from the National Care Forum

This compliance assessment has been developed using the most recent information from the CQC and others. It will help you know how well you are doing, identify areas in which you need to improve and bring the guidance together into one place.

Last Updated: Aug 2020

Infection Control Audit Tools

Please find Infection Control Management and Environmental Audit Tools for your reference as a starting point for the documentation that you should have as a provider of care and support services. DCC considers these resources to be acceptable and contract-compliant but you may wish to check with CQC and any other commissioners whether they consider the documents adequate.

CQC - Infection Prevention and Control - Questions for care homes

CQC questions and prompts to look at how well staff and people living in care homes are protected by infection prevention and control (IPC) - key line of enquiry S5.

Exposure and clinical management

Covid-19: Management of staff and exposed patients or residents in health and social care settings

This guidance provides advice on the management of staff and patients or residents in health and social care settings according to exposures, symptoms and test results.

Last Updated: 28th Jan 2021

COVID-19: investigation and initial clinical management of possible cases

Information on case definitions, and the initial assessment and investigation of possible cases of COVID-19 infection.

Last Updated: 14th Dec 2020

Waste Management

Covid-19 Waste Management: Standard Operating Procedure

This document sets out the waste management approach for all healthcare facilities including primary care facilities and testing facilities in England.

Last Updated: 18th Jan 2021

Visiting

Care Provider Alliance - Visitor Protocol Briefing

A reviewed updated Visitors’ Protocol to reflect but not duplicate updated official guidance and to provide practical examples of how care services can open up the home more regularly in a way which is safe and proportionate to their localised understanding of risk.

Last updated: Feb 2021

Partners in Care - Resources to support meaningful visits

This set of resources is designed to provide practical support to care homes and their relatives and loved ones to adopt the default position that care homes are open for visiting.

Last Updated: March 2021

Visiting Arrangements in Care Homes

Sets out how care homes can support families and visitors to visit residents from 8 March.

Last Updated: 9th March 2021

Visits out of care homes

Sets out how care homes can facilitate outward visits for residents

Last Updated: 8th March 2021

Care England - the need for decision making principles

It is essential for providers to have a framework within which to make difficult decisions. The principles that follow are agreed by Care England as a starting point in finding ways to support and promote, among care home residents, the basic human rights that protect all citizens.

Last Updated: 1st March 2021

Visiting care homes during Covid-19

A quick guide to visiting arrangements in care homes.

How to prepare for your care home visit: Dr Sarah Jarvis explains how to get tested and use PPE and social distancing measures to visit your relatives safely.