Infection Prevention and Control: Care Home case study
Today, I'd like to discuss the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) guidance for care homes (released by NHS Scotland and the Care Inspectorate), specifically those caring for elderly patients with dementia. I've reviewed the latest IPC and Care Inspectorate documentation to ensure that my advice aligns with current standards.
Having worked with several care homes over the last few years, I have been heavily involved in implementing cleaning guidance, and also attending meetings with the NHS Care Home Assurance Team to give me clear insight into what the standards are and what I need to do as a supplier to make it enhance my understanding so I can help my clients to achieve and attain the standard set out in these guidelines.
**Hand Hygiene**
Hand hygiene remains crucial in reducing infection transmission. The guidance has been updated to recommend either alcohol-based or non-alcohol-based hand rub (Jan 2024), as long as it meets the required standards. As of January 2024, alcohol-based hand rubs should have a minimum of 60% alcohol concentration. Both alcohol-based and non-alcohol-based hand rubs must meet BS EN standards 13727, 1500, 13624, and 17430.
We offer sterile alcohol hand rub (73% alcohol) that meets these requirements, available in both larger and personal-sized bottles. These come in Sterile Alcohol Hand Rub; 5ltr, 500ml and personal size 50ml. The personal size come with a clip, which can be attached to a lapel or to the bottom of your uniform.
Remember that hands should be washed with non-antimicrobial liquid soap if visibly soiled, contaminated with blood or bodily fluids, or when dealing with vomiting, diarrhoea, or norovirus. Hands should then be dried with a paper towel. Hand towels should then be thrown away in the bin after a single use.
**Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)**
We provide a range of single-use, disposable PPE, including nitrile, latex, and vinyl gloves. Gloves must be worn when exposure to blood, bodily fluids, non-intact skin, mucous membranes, or hazardous chemicals is anticipated. Aprons are also required when contamination is anticipated, such as during toileting or bed linen changes, and must be changed between patients and after procedures.
**Cleanliness and Maintenance**
The care environment should be visibly clean, free from non-essential items, and have equipment for effective cleaning. A fresh solution of general-purpose neutral detergent is recommended for routine cleaning and should be changed when dirty, every 15 minutes, or when changing tasks. This is interesting that the detergent needs to be changed every 15 minutes – even when it’s not been used. This is purely due to exposure to the environment, i.e an open bucket is exposed to the environment and bacteria.
Routine disinfection of the environment is not recommended, but 1,000 parts per million available chlorine should be used routinely on sanitary fittings. Our Chlorosan Detergent Disinfection tablets can be used for both cleaning and disinfection. According to the guideline refillable bottles for the Chlorisan solution must be emptied, washed, and dried every 24 hours. These Chlorosan tablets dilute into 1 litre of water, and they can be diluted directly into the spray bottles that we sell here.
The chlorosan disinfectant detergent is accredited to EN13727 and EN13697 (bactericidal), EN 13724 and 13687 (yeast and fungi), EN14476 (virucidal) and EN 14348 (mycobactericidal), so it is a broad- spectrum disinfectant detergent with chlorine.
On another note, it is interesting that these sectors who are enduring financial challenges can’t benefit from the super-concentrate ranges that are available. We do sell super-concentrate ranges here, and these are great for high volume environments just like these. However, the fact you’d need to dispose of the bottles every 24 hours, just means that they are throwing their money away. This is an interesting caveat, but a necessary one to avoid cross contamination.
As an organisation with deep expertise in the care sector, and a readily available supply chain, we can provide support to your organisation whatever your bespoke needs are. We have a strong track record in providing support to cross sector organisations but in particular the care sector.
