Achieving and maintaining high standards of cleanliness is essential in care settings. It is a statutory requirement in accordance with Health and Social Care Act 2008, IPC code of practice and related guidance. It is seen as a sign of the overall quality and safety of the care within the setting, and it contributes to a safe environment for care. People who have contact with social care should have confidence in the cleanliness and hygiene of services and services provided.
Undertaking a regular infection prevention and control audit will enable you to monitor your IPC environmental and practice (e.g., hand hygiene, PPE audits) standards as part of best practice and can be retained by your setting as part of your CQC evidence.
It is recommended that all health and social care providers undertake a self-audit documenting and reviewing improvement and it is recommended that policy compliance is audited annually. It is recommended that, for assurance purposes, an annual competency to assess the standard of staff techniques are carried out.
Recommendations for audit:
Care Homes
- Environmental Audit: quarterly (SAFE)
- Rapid self-audit tool: setting to determine frequency
- Manager’s Checklist: monthly (SAFE)
- PPE checklist: monthly (SAFE)
- Hand Hygiene (x5 observations): monthly (SAFE)
- Hand Hygiene Competency: annual assessment
- PPE Competency: annual assessment
- Commodes: recommendation for a weekly audit
- Mattresses: recommendation for monthly audit
General Practice
- Annual self-audit
- Hand hygiene audit: recommended to be undertaken monthly
- Rapid self-audit tool: setting to determine frequency
- Hand Hygiene Competency: annual assessment
- PPE Competency: annual assessment
Supported Living / Extra Care setting
- Annual self-audit
- Regular hand hygiene audit: Hand Hygiene Audit Tool
- Rapid self-audit tool: setting to determine frequency
- Hand Hygiene Competency: annual assessment
- PPE Competency: annual assessment
Rapid Self Audit Tool: please follow the link below to access the Auditing sections in Care Homes and Primary Care
Professionals – Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
For further information:
National infection prevention and control manual
Cleaning a commode for care homes
NHS England » National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2021
