Type
Infection Prevention and ControlInfection prevention is everyone’s responsibility, as is providing clean and safe care within a healthcare organisation. Robust infection prevention practice is easier to introduce than management of any problem, and will sustainably reduce infection rates.
The minimum requirements of any healthcare organisation are:
- A culture of zero tolerance to Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAI)
- Recognition that HCAI is everyone’s responsibility
- Robust assurance for HCAI
- A dynamic and visible Infection Prevention and Control Team
The aim of the infection prevention and control service is to promote as safe an environment as possible for staff, patients and visitors. This is so that the risk of contamination and cross-infection are kept to a minimum.
The infection prevention and control service is provided to Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust staff, as well as offering advice and guidance to GP practices and nursing homes within Northamptonshire and Nene and Corby Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).
Infection prevention and control annual report - 25 May 2017
Contact us
NHFT’s infection prevention and control nurses are based at York House, Isebrook Hospital and can be contacted on: 01933 235857. Public Health England provide out of hours advice on 0300 303 8537.
Contact Details
Jenny Boyce
Lead Infection Prevention and Control
Tel: 01933 235855
Email: jenny.boyce@nhft.nhs.uk
Linda Marlow
Infection Prevention and Control Nurse
Tel: 01933 235856
Email: linda.marlow@nhft.nhs.uk
Louise Farr
Infection Prevention and Control Nurse
Tel: 01933 235857
Email: louise.farr@nhft.nhs.uk
Jane McCarthy
Administrator
Tel: 01933 235860
Coronavirus
Guidance for the general public relating to management of 2019 Novel Coronavirus
If you have lived with or had close contact (within 2 metres for 15 minutes of more) with a confirmed case of 2019-nCoV, you should contact NHS 111 for further advice.
Catch it, bin it, kill it - poster[pdf] 933KB
Coughs and sneezes spread diseases - poster[pdf] 23KB
1. Preventing spread of infection
There are general principles you can follow to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:
- wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available. This is particularly important after taking public transport
- avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- avoid close contact with people who are sick
- if you feel unwell, stay at home, do not attend work or school
- cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin.
- clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in the home and work environment
- if you are worried about your symptoms, please call NHS 111. Do not go directly to your GP or other healthcare environment
There is currently no vaccine to prevent 2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus.
2. Actions on return from China and specified countries
In addition to China, specified countries are Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand.
If you have lived with or had close contact (within 2 metres for 15 minutes or more) with a confirmed case of 2019-nCoV, you should contact NHS 111 for further advice.
2.1 If you have returned from anywhere in Hubei province, including Wuhan, in the last 14 days
If you are currently well:
- stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with flu viruses.
- call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the area
- your family do not need to take any precautions or make any changes to their own activities
If you become unwell:
- please call NHS 111 immediately in order for you to be assessed by an appropriate specialist in hospital, as quickly as possible
- follow the home isolation advice sheet
2.2 If you have returned from, or transited through, China (other than Hubei) or a specified country in the last 14 days
If you are well:
- you do not need to avoid contact with other people
- your family do not need to take any precautions or make any changes to their own activities
If you become unwell:
- stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with other flu viruses.
- follow this home isolation advice sheet
- call NHS 111 immediately in order for you to be assessed by an appropriate specialist in hospital, as quickly as possible
3. Symptoms and what to do
You should look for any of the following symptoms in the 14 days after the day you return from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, or Thailand:
- cough
- difficulty in breathing
- fever (a temperature of 38 degrees C or higher)
If you have any of these symptoms, you should:
- if it is an emergency, call 999 and tell them which country you have returned from in the last 14 days
- if you are unwell, but it is not an emergency, call NHS 111 and tell them which country you have returned from in the last 14 days
Whilst you await further advice from NHS 111:
- avoid contact with others
- stay at home, do not attend work or school
- do not travel while sick
- cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. Throw tissues in the bin
- wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser if soap and water are not available
4. Mass gatherings
If you have returned from Hubei Province, including Wuhan, in the last 14 days you should avoid mass gatherings. The risk to the general public attending mass gatherings is very low.
5. Post, packages, take-away food
The virus does not survive well for long periods outside the body and so it is highly unlikely that 2019-nCoV can be spread through post or packages.
It is highly unlikely that 2019-nCoV can be spread through food.
6. Cleaning shared spaces
If a person becomes ill in a shared space, these should be cleaned using disposable cloths and household detergents. Wash your hands after cleaning.
Hand Hygiene
The best way of preventing infection passing from one person to another is by cleansing our hands. All opportunities to promote hand hygiene to staff, patients and visitors should be considered. The posters below provide information on hand washing and use of hand gels to ensure the correct method is used at the right time. Additional posters to support effective hand hygiene include promotion of 'Bare Below the Elbows' and are also available below.
Hand hygiene undertaken by healthcare staff must always be carried out in accordance with the '5 Moments of Hand Hygiene' guidance. Patients should not be afraid to ask healthcare staff if they have cleansed their hands prior to provision of care or treatment.
When to wash your hands
You should always wash your hands before:
- Preparing food
- Eating
- Caring for the sick
- Changing dressings
- Giving medicines
- Looking after babies or the elderly
- Starting work, especially if you are a food handler or health professional
- Putting in contact lenses
You should always wash your hands after:
- Handling raw foods, particularly meat, fish and poultry
- Going to the toilet
- Touching rubbish/waste bins
- Changing nappies
- Caring for the sick, especially those with gastro-intestinal disorders
- Coughing or sneezing, especially if you are sick
- Handling and stroking pets or farm animals
- Gardening, even if you wear gloves
- Cleaning cat litter boxes
Preventing the spread of Norovirus
To help prevent the spread of viral gastro-enteritis please take particular care with washing your hands by using warm water and soap. This is especially the case before preparing or eating food, after sneezing or coughing, after using the toilet and if you've had contact with anyone who has been symptomatic. Alcohol hand sanitizer dispensers, which are becoming more readily available around most public places, are an alternative if a hand wash basin isn't readily available. However, please remember that soap and warm water is much more effective.
Think of ways that children can be encouraged to wash their hands more thoroughly. An example of this is singing 'Happy Birthday to You' twice through, which takes roughly fifteen seconds and is the amount of time it takes to thoroughly cleanse hands. It is important to encourage this practice as schools are somewhere that infections such as diarrhoea and vomiting can be easily spread. Another way to minimise the spread of viruses is to ensure that children are kept away from school until they have been free from diarrhoea and/or vomiting for 48 hours, if the cause is thought to be infectious.
If you are unwell with symptoms of diarrhoea and or vomiting it is important to keep away from other people as much as you can until you are better. If at all possible you shouldn't visit your GP surgery or hospital, either as a patient or a visitor. Telephone your GP or NHS 111 for advice if the symptoms do not quickly subside or you have additional concerns. In addition to this, if you are visiting people in hospital please refer to the local advice for that area prior to visiting. This will also include not visiting if you have had symptoms of diarrhoea and/or vomiting in the last 48 hours, have provided care to or had recent contact with others who have had diarrhoea and/or vomiting in the last 48 hours. This includes those who are prone to infection, for example if you are elderly, frail, pregnant, visiting with children or are immuno-compromised.
There is no specific treatment for viral gastro-enteritis apart from letting the illness run its course, however there are some simple infection control procedures to follow:
- Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration
- Wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet
- Food preparation for others should be avoided until 48 hours after symptoms have subsided
- Telephone your GP or NHS 111 for advice if the symptoms do not quickly subside or you have additional concern.
