BACKGROUND
The healthcare environment has been recognised as a reservoir for organisms and has been identified as associated with the spread of infection.
All equipment, surfaces, fixtures, fittings and furniture in the healthcare environment should be either single use or washable.
High touch surfaces need to be cleaned frequently and at least daily.
The risk profile of the functional area (department) and the risk rating of the specific item dictate how often an item should be cleaned.
The risk profile of the functional area also dictates how often an area should be audited.
Regardless of cleaning or audit frequencies, all elements audited should be clean, well maintained and free from soil, blood, body fluids, smudges, cobwebs, dust, fingerprints, dirt, spillages, tape and sticky residue.
Risk of Spread of Infection
The healthcare environment in a residential care setting can also be a source of spread on infections.
Cleaning the environment is an essential part of ensuring safe effective patient care and a safe patient environment.
Healthcare Providers running care homes must take essential steps to protect residents and staff from infection.
This is an important element of the quality of care provided, particularly as some infections have the capacity to spread due to the numbers of susceptible people sharing eating and living accommodation.
Auditing standardised definitions and then assessment against these standards to ensure consistent auditing and identification of risks.
Specifically designed for auditing Infection prevention Standards in residential care settings, this audit system includes:
✔ audit of residents rooms,
✔ toilets,
✔ clinical rooms,
✔ kitchens,
✔ clean utility rooms,
✔ sluice rooms,
✔ communal areas,
✔ Auditing Linen standards,
✔ waste standard audits
✔ sharps safety audits.
All our audit systems are based on best practice standards and guidelines. They are developed in consultation with Infection Prevention experts and reference the following standards and guidance:-
High Impact Interventions (NHS Improvement & IPS, 2017).
✔ Guidance for Application of Standards and Recommended Practices in Primary Care Local Decontamination Units (HSE, Ireland 2016).
✔ National Standards for Residential Care Settings for Older People in Ireland (HIQA, 2016).
✔ Standard Infection Control Precautions (SIPCs) (Health Protection Scotland 2016).
✔ Scottish Health Technical Note 3 NHS Scotland waste management guidance (2015)
✔ Decontamination of linen for health and social care: Social care (DOHUK, 2015).
✔ National Guidance for Safe Management of Linen in NHS Scotland 2015).
✔ Prevention and control of infection in care home – an information resource (Health Protection Agency, 2013).
✔ Management and disposal of healthcare waste (HTM 07-01) - England 2013.
✔ Code of Practice for Decontamination of Reusable Invasive Medical Devices (HSE,2012)
✔ EPIC 3 Guidelines on prevention of HCAI in England (2012).
✔ Quality and Process Improvement tools (Infection Prevention Society (IPS, 2008).
✔ HEALTHCARE RISK WASTE (DOH, Ireland, 2010).
✔ HEALTHCARE RISK WASTE MANAGEMENT SEGREGATION PACKAGING AND STORAGE GUIDELINES WASTE (DOH, Ireland, 2010)
MEDICAL AUDITS SYSTEMS MERGE INTO ONE WHOLE HOSPTAL MONITORING SOLUTION
Because all our systems combine into one complete auditing and quality assurance system, you can seamlessly audit across acute hospitals, primary care teams, nursing homes, Dental practices, GP practices, out-patient clinics, prison services and more.