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INFECTION CONTROL STANDARDS FOR ADULT CARE HOMES: A CONSULTATION

Draft Standards for Infection Control in Adult Care Homes and Other Adult Care Services.

STANDARD 2 – Accountability: Infection Control Function

Standard Statement

There is an Infection Control Group (ICG) that endorses all infection control policies/ procedures/guidelines. It also provides advice and support on their implementation and monitors the progress of the annual infection control programme (ICP).

Rationale

All aspects of infection control are managed at an operational level. The structure of the group responsible for infection control function should be appropriate to the service. This may mean that a group with a wider remit considers the infection control function.

Criteria

2.1 Membership of the ICG includes, for example:

(a) Chief Executive/ Owner (Service Provider) or a nominated senior manager with authority to represent him/her

(b) Unit/ Operational Manager

(c) Infection Control Key Worker(s) (ICKW(s))

(d) A representative senior carer/ nurse

Other members as appropriate, for example:

(e) Identified representatives, from, for example, Estates, Housekeeping and Maintenance, Risk Management and/ or Health and Safety

(f) Person(s) with responsibility for staff health

(g) Other key representatives may include general medical or dental practitioners, professions allied to healthcare

(i) Others as required e.g. Environmental health officer.

2.2 The ICG agrees Terms of Reference and Accountability arrangements and meets at least four times a year.

2.3 Minutes of the ICG are widely circulated to all managers and team leaders and are available to all staff and service users.

2.4 The ICG provides advice and support to the Infection Control Key Worker(s) (ICKW(s)).

2.5 The ICG endorses the annual infection control programme (ICP).

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