Public Board of Directors papers 27.01.22

non-infectious patients.

Patients who are known or suspected to be positive with a respiratory pathogen including COVID-19 where their treatment cannot be deferred, their care is provided from services able to operate in a way which minimise the risk of spread of the virus to other patients/individuals.

Where it is not possible to defer a patient’s treatment that is known to be or suspected to have a respiratory pathogen such as COVID-19, their care is provided from single occupancy rooms. All staff and patients (where possible without compromising clinical care) are required to wear appropriate PPE. Patients with confirmed COVID-19 in advance of attending for treatment as IPs or OPs are reported to the screening team so appropriate access, escort through the trust facilities and isolation is coordinated to reduce the risk of spread to others. See Standard Operating Procedure: COVID-19 Infection Control Guidance for inpatients, Standard Operation Procedure: COVID- 19 - Managing Patients with Confirmed COVID-19 infection and COVID-19 Outpatient Areas – Designated Isolation Rooms. Patients with confirmed or suspected respiratory pathogens are isolated in single occupancy rooms or cohorted appropriately to enable adequate patient flow of other acutely unwell or elective patients. See Standard Operating Procedure: COVID-19 Infection Control Guidance for inpatients, Standard Operation Procedure: COVID-19 - Managing Patients with Confirmed COVID-19 infection and COVID-19 Outpatient Areas – Designated Isolation Rooms. Throughout the pandemic physical distancing in relation to bed spacing and bay occupancy has been under constant review and responsive to IPC measures and patient flow demand. Where possible 50% (4 bed reduced to 2 bed) occupancy in bays has been maintained.

Patients are appropriately placed i.e., infectious patients in isolation or cohorts.

Ongoing regular assessments of physical distancing and bed spacing, considering potential increases in staff to patient ratios and equipment needs (dependent on clinical care requirements).

At times bed occupancy within bays has increased due to following capacity/patient flow demands.

In these situations, by way of mitigation Risk assessments are undertaken for those patients involved with the IPC, nursing and medical teams.

C1501: Infection prevention and control board assurance framework (24 December 2021 Version 1.8) – January 2022

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