Whiteparish Surgery -Infection Control Annual Statement 2025

Purpose:

The annual statement will be generated each year in April in accordance with The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance) This requires every Primary Care Provider to have an Infection Prevention & Control Lead.

The IPC Lead is responsible for the local infection prevention & control programme. This involves identifying infection risks to the practice, its patients, and staff, and taking responsibility for implementing and monitoring actions to manage and reduce those risks.

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Lead

Lyn Walworth is IPC lead and developing into the role is Clare Hartley who will undertake training on a regular basis attending IPC meetings/updates and webinars organised by the NHS Bath and Northeast Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board; there are opportunities to attend ad hoc drop-in sessions available online on a regular basis

Primary Care IPC Leads network meetings are planned every quarter for this year and include updates, topical infections and networking opportunities via Teams

• Health care associated infections data and figures
• Flu vaccine and covid vaccine update
• IPC considerations for restarting Spirometry
• Staff isolation and risk assessments

The IPC lead is supported by Sarah Trompetas (Practice Manager) and Ysanne Duke (HCA) is responsible for Legionella monitoring; face to face training on this is repeated on a regular basis.

Infection Transmission incidents (Significant events)

Significant events (SEA) (which may involve examples of good practice as well as challenging events) are investigated in detail to see what can be learnt and to improve practice -these are reviewed on a regular basis at clinical and staff meetings; there has been one SEA in the past 12 months that involved a needlestick injury with a member of staff.  This was fully discussed at a Clinical MDT meeting and the Sharps procedures/policy and management of needlestick injuries reviewed

Infection Prevention Audit & Actions

The IPC annual audit is completed using a process improvement tool produced by the Practice Index which produces standard statements with guidance for improved practice; Other more regular audits are completed on an ad hoc basis including an Environmental Cleanliness tool which can be completed in a short time as well as hand washing audits and Safe handling & disposal of sharps audits

Over the past year guidance for services and health care settings have been laid down by Public Health England including guidance on Measles outbreaks ( April 2024) and Mpox advice. Infection prevention and control recommendations have been cascaded to staff as they have been issued. 

A further annual audit is planned for 2025 with a review of the past recommendations from 2023 audit:

• General de-clutter in some specific areas
• Housekeeping deep clean suggested in non-clinical areas
• More regular clinical audits to be undertaken.
• Review staff immunisations
• Ensure that IPC related topics are regular agenda items at various practice meetings

No infections were reported for patients who had minor surgery in the practice

Audits of handwashing and safe handling and disposal of sharps are undertaken on an ad hoc basis

The practice plan to undertake more regular audits in the coming year including minor surgery outcomes audit and further hand hygiene audits

Risk assessments

Legionella (water) Risk assessment -the practice has conducted/reviewed its water safety to ensure the water supply does not pose a risk to patients, visitors, or staff. 

Immunisation: As a practice we ensure that all staff are up to date with their Hepatitis B immunisations and offered any occupational health vaccinations applicable to their role (eg seasonal flu, Covid) We take part in the NHS England National Immunisation programmes for patients and offer vaccinations in house and via home visits and to all nursing home residents registered at the practice.

Training

All online staff training is recorded on Teamnet and monitored by Admin Lead.  Level 1 and 2 courses are designed for all primary care staff to assist with their understanding of the importance of infection control procedures and how the information should be applied.  Staff are reminded via notification and email before the course is due and is repeated annually.

Whole team sessions offer an opportunity to update all staff training on COSHH, Universal Precautions including appropriate PPE, hand hygiene and management of inoculation injury.  The use of a light box to demonstrate good hand hygiene techniques has been implemented with reassuring results

IPC Lead attends regular updates and the IPC forum held by ICB and other outside training organisations

Policies

Most guidance on Infection Control & Prevention is based on the National Manual (NHS England) which had regular updates – available via Teamnet to all staff

Review

The IPC Lead and the practice manager are responsible for reviewing and producing the annual statement