New infection prevention and control guidance published

The UK Health Security Agency and Department of Health and Social Care have published updated guidance on infection prevention and control (IPC) for adult social care, bringing together existing IPC resources into a single framework for providers and care staff. The guidance emphasises that IPC should be flexible, proportionate and person-centred, while helping providers reduce infection risks, improve care quality and protect both people drawing on care and the workforce. 

Of particular relevance to homecare providers, the guidance explicitly recognises that care delivered in a person's own home presents different challenges from communal care settings. It acknowledges that care workers operate in environments they do not control and that people have the right to make decisions about their own homes and daily lives. As a result, IPC measures should be applied in a way that respects consent, dignity and autonomy while still managing risks effectively. This is a welcome recognition of the unique nature of homecare and the need for a proportionate approach to infection control. 

Read the full guidance: Infection prevention and control (IPC) in adult social care