Achieving and maintaining high standards of cleanliness is essential in health 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 and monitoring compliance:
| General Practice | Care Home | Supported Living/Extra Care | Domiciliary Care | Schools |
| Self Audit Tool (v1 Sep 24) Annually | Self Audit Tool (v1 Oct 24) Annually | Self Audit Tool (v2 Oct 24) Annually | Checklist for Domiciliary Care Frequently (increase frequency during outbreaks/periods of infection) | Checklist for Schools Termly |
| Rapid Self Audit Tool (v1 Sep 24) Quarterly | Rapid Self Audit Tool (v1 Oct 24) Quarterly | Rapid Self Audit Tool (v1 Oct 24) Quarterly | ||
| Hand Hygiene Audit Tool (Harrogate & District NHS) Monthly | Hand Hygiene Audit Tool (Harrogate & District NHS) Monthly | Hand Hygiene Audit Tool (Harrogate & District NHS) Monthly | Hand Hygiene Checklist Monthly | |
| Hand Hygiene Competency (v1 Dec 22) Annually | Hand Hygiene Competency (v1 Dec 22) Annually | Hand Hygiene Competency (v1 Dec 22) Annually | Hand Hygiene Competency (v1 Dec 22) Annually | |
| PPE Competency (v1 Dec 22) Annually | PPE Competency (v1 Dec 22) Annually | PPE Competency (v1 Dec 22) Annually | PPE Competency (v1 Dec 22) Annually | |
| PPE checklist SAFE Monthly | PPE checklist SAFE Monthly | |||
| Blank Action Plan Template For use alongside audits | Blank Action Plan Template For use alongside audits | |||
| Managers Checklist for Adult Social Care Frequently | Managers Checklist for Adult Social Care Frequently | |||
| Mattress Audit Tool Monthly | Mattress Audit Tool Monthly | |||
| Commode Audit Tool Weekly | Commode Audit Tool Weekly |
For further information:
National infection prevention and control manual
Cleaning a commode for care homes
NHS England » National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2021
