Infection Control Annual Statement — March 2024 to March 2025

Park Lane Surgery infection control standards are met from compliance with high standards of environmental cleaning, sharps maintenance, staff training on infection control, hand hygiene, use of personal protection equipment and waste control. We aim to keep our practice clean and tidy and offer a safe environment to our patients and staff.

Purpose of this statement

In line with the Health and Social Care Act 2008: Code of Practice on Prevention and Control of Infection and its related guidance, this statement will be generated annually.

It will summarise:

• Any infection transmission incidents and action taken in accordance with the practice’s significant incident procedure.
• Reference any infection prevention and control audits undertaken, and any subsequent actions taken arising from these audits.
• Reference any issues that may challenge infection prevention and control including risk assessment undertaken and subsequent actions implemented.
• Assurance of staff IPC training.
• Review and update of IPC policies, procedures, and guidance.

Three members of staff lead in Infection control:

• Clinicians Gemma Dowling— Lead Nurse (taken over from Suzanne Stacey) and Aman Khaira – GP
• Environmental Cleaning Lead Helen Conaghan — Practice Manager
• The above are the first point of contact for practice staff in respect of infection control issues and will help create and maintain an environment which ensures the safety of the patient, carers, visitors and health care workers.

We encourage all staff and patients to raise any issues or report incidents relating to cleanliness and infection control to the above staff members or any of the reception staff.

The Infection Control Leads carry out the following:

• Ensure systems to manage and monitor the prevention and control of infection.
  Carry out appropriate risk assessments.
• Increase awareness of the infection control issues amongst staff and patients by use of posters and training.
• Help to motivate staff to improve practice and acts as a role model.
  Ensure implementation of local and national infection control policies
• Implement practice-based infection control audits annually.
• Disseminate key infection control messages to all staff within the practice.
• Attend regular updates provided by ICB.

The Environmental Control Lead is responsible for the following:

• Providing and maintaining a clean and appropriate environment in the surgery that facilitates the prevention and control of infections.

Significant events

A significant event meeting is held annually and attended by all members of staff. This is to see what can be learnt from challenging events and how to make changes that might lead to future improvements. In the past year there have been no events raised relating to infection control.

Audits

Gemma Dowling, as infection control lead, undertakes an annual internal audit of the environment every March using the East and North Herts CCG audit tool. Results of the audit and action required is discussed with the partners and has led to upgrading of the Theatre used for minor procedures such as joint injections.

The surgery has taken part in an Infection Prevention Audit Report carried out by external personnel from the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board. The Action plan has now been completed and submitted.

Quarterly audits on handwashing, decontamination of equipment, correct use of PPE and sharps are currently undertaken along with an audit of the fridges and cold chain.

Gemma Dowling is due to undertake a 2-day IPC Lead training course and attends monthly webinars to keep updated on infection prevention-practice.

Risk Assessments

Risk assessments are carried out so that best practice can be established and then followed. In the last year the following risk assessments were carried out:

• Immunisation: Asa practice we ensure that all our staff are up to date with any occupational health vaccinations applicable to their role i.e. Seasonal flu, covid, Hepatitis B. We take part in the National Immunisation campaigns for patients and offer vaccinations in-house and via home visits to our patient population.
• Cleaning specifications, frequencies, and cleanliness: We have a cleaning specification and frequency policy which our cleaners and staff work to. An assessment of cleanliness is conducted by the cleaning team and logged. This includes all aspects in the surgery including cleanliness of equipment.
• Measles: We are working to formalise opportunities for MMR immunisation catch up to improve coverage of the MMR vaccination programme. This will minimise the risk to patients and staff.

Staff Training

All reception staff have completed a TeamNet online infection control module. This training covers hand hygiene, use of PPE, safe handling of waste, how to deal with spillages in the surgery and needlestick injuries. Ail nurses have also completed the online training module. Certificates are issued and available for inspection.

Policies, Protocols and Guidelines

All protocols available to all staff and are reviewed and updated annually or more frequently if current advice or legislation changes.

Review date- March 2025