Renewed focus on infection prevention needed

Published: 16 October 2012

A new report has called for a renewed focus on infection prevention and control services (IPS) across the NHS.

The report, published by The Patients Association, in partnership with the Royal College of Nursing and the Infection Prevention Society, urges the Department of Health to consider four calls to action:

a new national conversation on improving IPC to ensure it remains a key priority following the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act from April 2014
introduce an agreed framework to enable comparison, and ensure the NHS Commissioning Board, alongside the Department of Health and Government, work together to ensure that there is appropriate and sustainable strategic leadership on issues of national performance across all sectors
broaden the aims of IPC to deliver action beyond MRSA and C-difficile through targets on other infections such as sepsis
promote a stricter emphasis on IPC within the social care system, so that monitoring matches that which takes place in the acute and secondary sector.

A survey of NHS staff for the report found that almost all felt improvements in safety and outcomes had been delivered in recent years as a result of the high profile rise in infections such as MRSA, but that more needs to be done to address new risks.

Dr. Peter Carter, RCN Chief Executive & and General Secretary, said: “Those working in infection prevention recognise the positive impact of health care workers and the Government to tackle health care associated infections and we welcome current moves to broaden the focus of infection reduction beyond MRSA and C. difficile, but the emphasis of this should be in a structured way and with the engagement of all stakeholders.”

The RCN is concerned that recent improvements may be put at risk by NHS restructuring and is continuing to work to make sure infection control remains a high priority for everyone in the health service.

The report has been published to coincide with International Infection Prevention Week which runs from 14 October to 20 October.

The RCN has also launched a new commissioning toolkit for infection prevention and control. The toolkit provides information for professionals in England involved in the commissioning of infection prevention and control services. It also suggests indicators to support performance management and assurance against provider contracts.

Download the toolkit from the publications area of the RCN website.