The infection prevention control (IPC) manual has been reviewed and updated with a new safe practice guideline.
The new guideline aims to give staff a better guide to the IPC safe and recommended practices, which will help reduce the risk of infection.
Below is an outline of the key changes to each section. The IPC manual can be found on East24:
- Section one – What is IPC? The section is new and covers why IPC is important.
- Section three – Standard precautions. Looks at the increased emphasis on personal protective equipment and additional precautions
- Section four – Hand hygiene. This section includes clarification on wrist watches.
- Section five – Personal protective equipment (PPE). Looks at the increased emphasis on appropriate PPE use & risk assessment
- Section six - Principles of asepsis and management of invasive devices. This section includes clarification on what equipment can remain in its packaging
- Section seven - Safe handling of healthcare waste and sharps. This section is in line with current practice and some details about different waste streams have been removed
- Section eight - Prevention and management of occupational exposure incidents. No changes to practice or procedure, but the section does include additional information for non- responders and an increased emphasis on procedure
- Section nine - Decontamination and management of vehicles, equipment and premises. No changes to policy but includes a brief overview of the decontamination manual.
Published 9th January, 2016
