We all get introduced to the HTM 01-05 very early on in our careers, and it helps us to achieve at least essential practice (and, hopefully, best practice) standards during our infection prevention and control (IPC) procedures. This is something that is crucial if we want to keep our patients, and ourselves, safe. But with all of the guidance and procedures to follow, how do you ensure that the whole team is being consistent in their IPC standards?
Infection Prevention and Control Lead
Each practice should have a designated person responsible for compliance with infection prevention and control procedures. This person is known as the IPC Lead. This person not only oversees the updating of procedures and policies relating to IPC as well as completing required compliance, but also provides training to the team to ensure they are up to date on the latest regulations and feeds back any issues to the registered manager for further action if needed. The IPC Lead needs to be a competent and qualified person with the confidence to support the rest of the team so that essential standards of IPC are met. They must be able to carry out checks and take action to combat any issues that arise.
The IPC Lead may benefit from further training in order to gain confidence and knowledge and be more effective in their role. While they should still complete an IPC course as part of their CPD cycle, they could also look into an accredited course like the one available at Dental Nurse Network. Further information on this course can be found here.
Spot checks
Spot checks are an ideal way to monitor staff performance and to highlight any issues with IPC standards. They should be done by the IPC Lead, who can then report their findings back to the practice’s registered manager. The findings can then be fed back to the team at a practice meeting.
While spot checks can seem daunting for staff members, it is important to remember that they are an effective way of finding any discrepancies in standards of cleaning; by using a simple spot check form, the IPC Lead will be able to find areas that are being missed or incorrectly cleaned, or any procedures where there is confusion over their completion. Spot checks can be done at any time of the day, such as first thing in the morning or last thing at night to check the previous close down was completed correctly. They can be done by observing during a clinic to ensure cross-contamination procedures are being correctly followed. Spot checks are not utilised to make team members feel incompetent, but rather to help identify areas in which team members require further training and support, which will then improve the IPC standards across the practice. They allow an open discussion regarding the expected IPC standards, and allows a platform for employees to ask any questions that they may have.
Team training
Consistency starts with good team training, and this can be anything from the completion of an infection prevention and control course as part of the CPD cycle, through to in-house training and refreshers at monthly staff meetings. Training can also involve reading updated policies and procedures in line with the latest compliance, or being able to explain to a senior member of staff how and why a certain procedure is completed (for example, how dirty instruments are transported and processed, or why patient impressions are disinfected.) By making sure your team completes their training as part of their cycle, you are ensuring that they are all following the latest guidance for at least essential practice.
Training should be overseen by the Infection Prevention and Control Lead, who can provide the most up to date guidance, offer support, and answer any questions that the team members may have regarding the IPC procedures.
IPC concerns
If you have concerns surrounding IPC and want to raise an issue, then you can do so by requesting a chat with your IPC Lead during which you can explain your findings and ask them to look into it further. The IPC Lead can then action the issue through spot checks, further training and reviews to make sure that the problem has been addressed and resolved. If necessary, the IPC Lead may take the issue to the registered manager for further resolution.
You should never hold back on making a report when you find something amiss; remember, the whole team is responsible for the safety of themselves, each other, and their patients, and ignoring an issue will create a high risk of injury or contamination that could have easily been avoided.
Keep up to date
The IPC Lead will ensure that practice policies and procedures are kept up to date with any changes, and they should also inform the team of any changes in good time. However, each individual team member can do their part by tracking their CPD to make sure they have completed an IPC refresher, and by ensuring they read practice policies and procedures when prompted – especially if there has been a change or addendum.
Conclusion
While it is ultimately the responsibility of the IPC Lead to monitor staff IPC standards through spot checks and consistent training, it is also the responsibility of each member of staff to ensure that they, and their colleagues, are following the most recent guidance and are completing their duties to a minimum of essential practice – although best practice is always better! You can do this by completing your CPD, by making sure you flag any concerns as soon as they arise, and by seeking support should you ever doubt your knowledge or feel you would benefit from further training in infection prevention and control. By pushing ourselves to work to the best and highest standards, we can make sure that we are keeping ourselves and our patients safe.
By Natasha Garthwaite BSc, RDN
