Responsibilities for content of the manual 

ARHAI Scotland to ensure:

• that the content of this manual remains evidence based or where evidence is lacking, content is based on consensus of expert opinion

Stakeholders of ARHAI Scotland programme working groups to ensure:

• full participation in the working groups including full engagement with the consultation process outlined in the Terms of Reference associated with each working group

Responsibilities for the adoption and implementation of this manual

The manual should be used by:

• care home organisations
• care home staff including permanent, agency and where required external contractors
• health protection teams
• infection prevention and control teams
• professionals providing support
• individuals visiting the care home

Care home providers to ensure:

• the adoption and implementation of this manual in accordance with existing local governance processes
• that systems and resources are in place to facilitate implementation and compliance monitoring of IPC as specified in this manual in all care areas
  • compliance monitoring includes all staff (permanent, agency and where required external contractors)
• there is an organisational culture which promotes incident reporting and focuses on improving systemic failures that encourage safe IPC working practices including near misses
• there is a nominated lead with responsibility for IPC within the care home

Care home managers to ensure that all staff:

• are aware of and have access to this manual
• have completed appropriate IPC training relevant to their roles and that this is centrally recorded. Training may include resources developed by your organisation, your local NHS board, Health and Social Care Partnership, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) or the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
• have adequate support and resources available to enable them to implement, monitor and take corrective action to ensure full compliance with this manual
• implement a robust risk assessment including detailing any deviations from the manual and the local mitigation measures that were undertaken and post-approval  documented via local governance procedures
• with health concerns (including pregnancy) or those who have had an occupational exposure relating to IPC are timeously referred to the relevant agency, for example general practitioner (GP or doctor), occupational health or if required accident and emergency
• have undergone the required health checks or clearance (including those undertaking exposure prone procedures (EPPs))
• include IPC as an objective in their personal development plans (or equivalent)

Care home staff providing care to:

• understand, adopt and implement the principles of IPC as set out in this manual
• maintain IPC competence, skills, and knowledge through completing appropriate training relevant to their role as directed by their line manager. IPC training, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) or the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
• communicate the IPC practices to be taken to appropriate colleagues, residents, relatives and visitors without breaching confidentiality
• have up to date occupational immunisations/health checks/clearance requirements as appropriate
• report to line managers and document any gaps in IPC knowledge, resources, equipment and facilities or incidents that may result in transmission of infection including near misses for example sharps or PPE failures
• do not provide care while at risk of potentially transmitting infectious agents to others - if in any doubt they should consult with their line manager, occupational health department, local infection prevention and control team (IPCT) or local health protection team (HPT)
• contact the local HPT/IPCT if there is a suspected or actual HAI incident/outbreak

Local infection prevention and control teams (IPCTs) and health protection teams (HPTs) to: 

• engage with care home staff to develop systems and processes that lead to sustainable and reliable improvements in relation to the application of IPC practice
• provide expert advice on the application of IPC and provide support when requested to develop individual or organisational risk assessments where deviations from the manual are necessary
• have epidemiological or surveillance systems capable of distinguishing resident case or cases requiring investigations and control
• provide local support and advice (when necessary and/or requested) and complete documentation when an incident/outbreak or data exceedance is reported