ARHAI Scotland to:

• ensure that the content of the CH IPCM remains evidence based.

Care Home providers to:

• ensure that the CH IPCM is adopted and implemented in their care homes in accordance with local governance processes;
• ensure that systems and resources are in place to facilitate implementation and compliance monitoring of IPC as specified in the manual in all care areas - compliance monitoring includes all staff (permanent, agency and where required external contractors);
• ensure there is a system in place which promotes incident reporting or potential hazards and focuses on improvement that ensures safe working practices, through regular monitoring and review;
• ensure there is a nominated lead with responsibility for IPC.

Care Home Managers to:

• ensure that all staff are aware of, have access to and know where to locate the CH IPCM;
• ensure that all staff have completed appropriate IPC training relevant to their roles and that this is centrally recorded. Training could include resources developed by your organisation, your local NHS Board or Health and Social Care Partnership, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) or the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC);
• ensure that all staff have adequate support and resources available to enable them to implement, monitor and take corrective action to ensure compliance with this manual (if this cannot be implemented, a robust risk assessment must be undertaken and approved through local governance procedures);
• ensure that all staff include IPC as an objective in their Personal Development Plans (or equivalent) and are encouraged to discuss any issues around this with their line manager.

Care Home staff to:

• ensure that they fully understand and apply the principles of IPC contained in the CH IPCM;
• maintain competence, skills and knowledge in IPC through completing appropriate training relevant to their role as directed by their line manager. Training can be via resources developed by their organisation, local NHS Board or Health and Social Care Partnership, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) or the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC);
• communicate IPC practices to be taken by colleagues, those being cared for, relatives and visitors without breaching confidentiality;
• report to line managers and document any deficits in knowledge, resources, equipment and facilities or incidents that may result in transmission of infection including near misses e.g. sharps or PPE failures;
• not provide care while at risk of potentially transmitting infectious agents to others e.g. when having a cold/flu or experiencing the symptoms of Norovirus (diarrhoea). If in any doubt they must consult with their line manager;
• contact HPT/IPCT if there is a suspected or actual HAI incident/outbreak. Outbreak definitions are found on Chapter 3 of the NIPCM.

Infection Prevention and Control Teams (IPCTs) and Health Protection Teams (HPTs) to: 

• engage with and support care home staff to develop systems and processes that lead to sustainable and reliable improvements in relation to the application of IPC where required;
• provide expert advice on the application of infection prevention and control in care homes and on individual risk assessments as required;
• have systems in place capable of distinguishing individual case or cases of infection requiring investigations and;
• complete documentation when an incident/outbreak or data exceedance is reported.