Current work

Consultation: draft PPE appendices for Standard and Transmission based precautions for the National Infection Control Manual (England)

Please note: this guidance does not apply to adult social care services.

We are seeking IPC network member views on NHS proposed aide memoires on PPE required when applying standard infection control precautions and transmission-based precautions, these are intended to become appendices 15 and 16 of the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual for England. Feedback on the content and clarity of these appendices is specifically requested.

Please note in appendix 16 it is recommended that the use of gloves when applying contact precautions should be risk assessed based on anticipated exposure to blood and body fluids, mucous membranes and non-intact skin (as per SICPs), there is also an associated footnote with additional considerations. As this is likely to be a change to current practice for many we are particularly interested in feedback on this aspect of the appendix including whether the associated footnote is sufficient to mitigate risk to healthcare workers and is easy to understand and implement by front-line staff.

Please email any comments to ipc@rcn.org.uk.

Aseptic technique

Following member feedback, the RCN is undertaking a programme of work on the education and the application of aseptic technique in practice across all care settings.

This work has to date:

Built on RCN members feedback and requests to explore aseptic technique from a holistic perspective
Worked with nurses to explore experiences of asepsis and aseptic technique in practice
Published a report ‘Understanding Aseptic Technique’
Used a Delphi methodology to explore definitions and language associated with asepsis and aseptic technique to begin the process of agreeing a common vocabulary to support nursing practice
Commissioned in-depth interviews to explore results of the delphi study and inform the next phase of work to support education and nursing practice on aseptic technique
Explored how procurement decisions impact on aseptic technique in practice
Linked current RCN activity on glove use to the aseptic technique programme.

Procurement

PPE Innovation (England)

A series of events were planned across England for front-line health and care staff to share their views and experience during the pandemic to inform the development of the next generation of PPE. These have been postponed to the summer. More information will follow.

IPC network

More information on the RCN's infection prevention and control network and how you can get involved.

RCN Children and Young People IPC Network

This Network exists to support nursing staff who work with Children and Young people who have responsibilities for or an interest in Infection Prevention and Control.

Leadership and professional advice

The RCN, through the professional lead for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), provides visible and clinical leadership in support of Infection Prevention and Control and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In addition to our strategic activity, we work to ensure that any resources we develop add value to our members and stakeholders, do not duplicate existing available information, complement the work of others and are quality assured.

The RCN hosts a generic IPC Network which supports the delivery of RCN focused projects or resources involving the prevention of infection. A new IPC network to support nurses and others working with Children and Young people (CYP) was launched in 2017. Additionally, the RCN is actively involved in strategic work programmes and stakeholder or expert reference group meetings to influence and develop policy on Healthcare Associated Infections, and AMR for all countries of the UK. This work closely aligns with RCN activity supporting patient safety, quality improvement and sepsis recognition and management.

Specific examples of current, strategic work we are undertaking or supporting that impacts on the prevention of infection includes:

• Developing a new professional development course to support education in infection prevention and control (commences November 2018)

• Supporting the Care Quality Commission (England) in the development of its new regulatory framework and inspection programme through its co-production programme

• NHS Improvement Prevention of Healthcare Associated Gram-Negative Blood Stream Infections programme

• Influencing and supporting the implementation of the Future Operating Model (FOM) in England and procurement of products and consumables – see Small Changes Big Differences

• Membership of the European Network to Promote Infection Prevention for Patient Safety (EUNETIPS)

• High Consequence Infectious Disease planning.

Antimicrobial resistance

Our work supporting efforts to reduce the risk of AMR is diverse and more detail can be found on our Antimicrobial resistance page.

Membership of the One Health Stakeholder Group
Advising the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) on the development and implementation of their AMR strategy
Membership of the English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance (ESPAUR) group
Activities supporting European Antibiotic Awareness day and World Antibiotic Awareness Week
Development and implementation of new rapid diagnostics
Development of a new BSI standard for antimicrobial impregnated surfaces.

Antimicrobial stewardship

Antimicrobial resistance is recognised as a global health and economic threat. Nursing has a key role in supporting efforts to reduce this threat as a central part of the healthcare and public health workforce. Our RCN focus is currently on supporting the role of nursing and midwifery through antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), working with the University of Cardiff and Universities delivering nursing education to explore curricula and the inclusion of AMS within this.

OneTogether

In 2013 the RCN joined OneTogether, a global movement aimed at improving patient safety by reduce preventable health care associated infections (HCAIs).

OneTogether is a collaboration of professional associations and industry partners with the joint aim of improving patient outcomes.

Despite continued focus on infection prevention, HCAIs remain an ongoing threat to patient safety and a significant drain on health service budgets. By facilitating joint working and connecting resources and expertise, OneTogether aims to empower the health care community to deliver a sustainable change in HCAI incidence.

Read about OneTogether

Join the RCN

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