Public Board of Directors papers 27.01.22

The application of IPC practices are monitored and that resources are in place to implement and measure adherence to good IPC practice. This must include all care areas and all staff (permanent, agency and external contractors)

IPC practice is monitored via IPC Committee, monthly IPC senior team meetings, monthly NIPR meetings with the commissioners and escalation of concerns at daily sitrep / operational huddles. Ward based FLO (frontline ownership) audits monitors adherence to good IPC practice with improvement actions such as pre ward-round checklist (based on the WHO checklist outcome. A 2021 MIAA audit of the IPC service demonstrated moderate assurance with no critical actions. An IPC Quality Manager is now in post to support IPC quality management and monitor system and process compliance. Adherence to IPC policies are monitored via team meetings, IPC and NIPR committee meetings. This includes a review of statistics on prevalence of alert organisms, outbreaks, and any serious untoward incidents; evidence of appropriate actions taken to deal with infection occurrences and an audit programme ensure that policies have been implemented. Shared learning amongst IPC and nursing forums are pivotal to best practice and further engage and support staff. As many non-clinical staff are now working from home, this has resulted in reduced staff footfall on trust premises. Trust facilities have been reconfigured to allow for physical distancing of furnishings e.g. tables and chairs reduced in number and spacing and changing facilities increased in number and interiors reconfigured to maintain physical distancing. Such measures have been implemented to ensure staff break and changing facilities are as safe as practicably possible.

Staff are supported in adhering to all IPC policies, including those for other alert organisms.

Safe spaces for staff break areas/changing facilities are provided

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

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