Download HS005 Infection Control

COMMUNITY CARE TRUST (SOUTH WEST) LTD
INFECTION CONTROL
POLICY No HS005
DEFINITION
This Trust understands infection control to be the name given to a wide range of policies, procedures
and techniques intended to prevent the spread of infectious diseases amongst staff, people using the
services and communities. All staff are at 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 which can be spread if staff do not take adequate precautions.
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Communicable diseases refer to a range of diseases that can be spread due to poor infection control
techniques or standards. Examples of such diseases include:
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Hepatitis
Tuberculosis
MRSA
C. difficile
Food poisoning through organisms such as salmonella
Legionnaire’s disease
AIDS
E Coli.
Communicable diseases are the responsibility of Public Health and are managed by local consultants in
communicable disease control. The Public Health Infectious Diseases Regulations 1988 place a duty on
employers to adopt safe practices to prevent the spread of infection (especially blood-borne infection)
and organisations may be liable for prosecution and for paying compensation if they do not comply.
POLICY STATEMENT
This Trust believes that every person has the right to live their life with privacy, dignity, independence
and choice and to be free from threat. The Trust will work in collaboration with all local infection control
agencies to uphold this right and to ensure that the people who use our services are protected from the
spread of infection at all times.
This Trust believes that adherence to strict guidelines on infection control is of paramount importance in
ensuring the safety of both people who use services and staff. It also believes that good, basic hygiene is
the most powerful weapon against infection, particularly with respect to cleaning and hand washing.
AIM OF THE POLICY
This policy is intended to set out the values, principles and policies underpinning this Trust’s approach to
infection control. The aim is to prevent the spread of infection amongst staff, people using the services
and the local community.
The policy aims to meet the Department of Health guidance within the ‘Code of Practice on the
prevention and control of infections and related guidance’.
THE HANDLING AND DISPOSAL OF CLINICAL AND SOILED WASTE
All clinical waste should be disposed of in sealed yellow plastic sacks and each sack should be clearly
labelled with the unit details. Non-clinical waste should be disposed of in normal black plastic bags.
When no more than three-quarters full, yellow sacks should be sealed and stored safely to await
collection by an authorised collector. Yellow bags should only be used in pedal type bins.
THE USE OF PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
Gloves and disposable aprons are provided for staff who are at risk of coming into direct contact with
body fluids.
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Sterile gloves are provided for clinical procedures such as applying dressings. On no account
should staff attempt to wash and reuse the gloves.
Non-sterile gloves are provided for washing dirty or used instruments, clearing up blood or
bodily fluids and for handling disinfectants.
Any member of staff who suspects that they might be suffering from an allergic reaction to the latex
gloves provided should stop using them immediately and inform their doctor.
THE HANDLING AND STORING OF SPECIMENS
Sharps – typically needles, blades and broken ampoules – should be disposed of in proper purpose-built
sharps disposal containers complying with BS7320.
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Staff should never re-sheath needles.
Boxes should never be overfilled.
When full, boxes should be sealed, marked as hazardous waste and clearly labelled with the unit
details.
Sharps boxes must always be placed out of the way of people using the service, especially from
children who may be attracted by the bright colours.
Used, filled boxes should be stored securely until collected for incineration.
In the event of an injury with a used or potentially contaminated needle, staff should:
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Wash the area immediately and encourage bleeding if the skin is broken.
Report to the home manager immediately and fill in an incident form.
Report immediately to a GP, Occupational Health Department or, if none are available, A&E.
The goals are to ensure that:
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People who use services and CCT staff are as safe as possible from acquiring infections.
All staff are aware of, and put into practice, the basic principles of infection control.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS AND STATUTORY GUIDANCE
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The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Public Health Infectious Diseases
Regulations 1988 both place a duty on the Trust to prevent the spread of infection.
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The Reporting of Incidents, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)
places a duty on the Trust to report outbreaks of certain diseases as well as accidents such as
needle-stick accidents.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999(COSHH) places a duty on the
Trust to ensure that potentially infectious materials are identified as hazards and dealt with
accordingly.
The Environmental Protection Act 1990 makes it the responsibility of the Trust to dispose of
clinical waste safely.
The Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010 places a duty on the Trust to notify all
relevant agencies of actual or suspected outbreaks of diseases.
EFFECTIVE HAND WASHING
Hand washing is the single most important method of preventing the spread of infection. ALL STAFF
should ensure that their hands are thoroughly washed and dried:
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Between seeing each person where direct clinical contact is involved.
After handling any body fluids or waste or soiled items.
After handling specimens.
After using the toilet.
Before handling foodstuffs.
Hands should be washed according to the guidelines posted by each sink. Liquid soaps and disposable
paper towels should be used rather than bar soaps and fabric towels. Antiseptic hand washing solutions
should be used only in situations where hand washing is not possible. They are not for general use.
All cuts and abrasions, particularly on the hands, should be covered with waterproof dressings at all
times.
CLEANING AND PROCEDURES FOR THE CLEANING OF SPILLAGES
All staff have a responsibility to help keep the home clean and tidy and to identify areas which fall below
acceptable or safe standards.
Staff should treat every spillage of body fluids or body waste as quickly as possible and as potentially
infectious. They should wear protective gloves and aprons and use disposable wipes wherever possible.
Eye protection should also be used if there is risk of splashing.
For a spillage of blood or body fluids, a 10,000 hypochlorite solution should be used.
Staff should:
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Put on disposable gloves and apron
Prepare the hypochlorite solution
Cover the spillage with paper towels
Carefully wipe up the spillage with more towels soaked in hypochlorite
Dispose of the waste in a yellow waste bag
Wash hands in soap and water
REPORTING
The Infection Prevention and Control Lead for the Community Care Trust will provide an annual
statement for each facility with a review of any:
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known outbreaks of infection
audits undertaken and subsequent actions
action taken following an outbreak of infection
risk assessments undertaken for prevention and control of infection
training received by staff
review and update of policies, procedures and guidance
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) obliges the
Trust to report the outbreak of notifiable diseases to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Notifiable
diseases include: cholera, food poisoning, smallpox, typhus, dysentery, measles, meningitis, mumps,
rabies, rubella, tetanus, typhoid fever, viral haemorrhagic fever, hepatitis, whooping cough,
leptospirosis, tuberculosis and yellow fever.
Records of any such outbreak must be kept, specifying dates and times and a completed disease report
form must be sent to the HSE.
In the event of an outbreak incident, the service manager is responsible for informing the HSE and the
local health protection agency.
EMERGENCY CONTACTS
In the event of a suspected outbreak of an infectious disease, or information on health protection or
concerns about a health related problem, the Devon, Cornwall and Somerset Health Protection Team
should be contacted on 0300 303 8162.
ISOLATION
Isolation is the physical separation of one person from another, in order to prevent spread of infection.
Isolation is required when Standard Infection Control Precautions (SICP) may not be enough to prevent
cross infection. Advice should be sought from the person’s GP or the local Health Protection Unit prior to
placing a person in isolation.
If isolation is needed, a person’s own room should be used. Ideally the room should be a single bedroom
with en-suite facilities.
TRAINING
Infection control should be included in the induction training for all new staff. In-house training sessions
should be conducted at least annually and all relevant staff should attend. Each unit has a nominated
lead to monitor and review practice, and to ensure that the required provisions are available and up to
date. The nominated lead for each unit will ensure they attend regular Devon PCT training for Infection
Protection Control.
PROVISIONS
Each unit should have the following provisions:
1x Blood Spill Kit
1x Vomit Spill Kit
Both containing:
Anti-bacterial spray (bleach free)
Cat Litter
Clinical Waste Bags
Disposable Aprons
Disposable Cloths
Disposable Dust Masks
Disposable Gloves
Each Kit should be clearly marked ‘Do Not vacuum up any spills, this could lead to the re-distribution of
harmful particles’
A ‘Hand Hygiene’ poster, clearly displayed.
A bottle of sterile water for eye wash
Policies and Factsheets
Bite injuries (HPA guidelines)
Blood- borne viruses in the workplace (HSE)
Gastroenteritis guidance (HPA)
Hand Hygiene Policy (DPT)
Infection Control Guidance for Care Homes (DOH)
Infection Control Policy (DPT)
Infectious Disease Topics List (Fact sheets available to download from HPA website)
Inoculation Injury Policy (DPT)
Scabies (factsheet, HPA)
Standard Infection Control Precautions Policy (DPT)
The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (DOH)
Viral Gastroenteritis (Norovirus) outbreak guidance for nursing/residential homes in
Devon (HPA
CCT CONTACT
Should you require any further information please contact Lucy Trotman, Infection Prevention and
Control lead for the CCT.
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 07525 237944
Devon, Cornwall and Somerset Health Protection Team
Tel: 0300 303 8162
Date of last review:
Version number:
Date of next review:
November 2015
05
November 2018
Signature ……………………………………..