A Reality Check on the latest Government Guidance
The new government guidance for Care Homes published in April 2022 is no different in principle to the 2013 Department of Health document, but the content is re-packaged and provides far greater emphasis and instruction on the need to control and reduce the risks posed by infections.
The root causes of infection are manifold and whilst clinical in essence, the vectors for their transmission are physical and procedures must be correctly managed.
Much has been learnt over the last few years and we should now be prepared to implement the required procedures to keep safe at all times, but
‘Beyond Covid’, what exactly is the future strategy and skills pathway for Infection Prevention and Control, Risk Management and Safety Culture Excellence in your Care Home?
Antimicrobial resistance is a global problem that makes infections harder to treat with existing medicines. High standards of IPC reduce the opportunities for infections to spread and for resistance to develop, so that is why the guidance has been developed.
Another set of measures for you to understand, manage, train and self-audit.
We can help! Click here to contact Opeque
Richard Newton
BSc CEng FIMechE CEnv FIHEEM MWMSoc MIDiagE
Opeque is the independent expert, professionally qualified and competent to advise you across the many areas of your operation.
We have previously worked with hundreds of care homes, providing direct services as a supplier of laundry equipment, along with its operation and servicing requirements; water treatment systems for Legionella control; antimicrobial treatments for fabrics, soft furnishings and hard surfaces and general hygiene control through the use of ozone generators.
Our team is complemented by access to many healthcare and microbiological experts and we are also lucky to have a vastly experienced carer and nurse on board, who brings the reality check to our technical approach.
We have hands on experience, we understand your business and we are here to respond.
We can also provide buildings and services M&E installation and maintenance services; energy surveying to identify cost reduction opportunities; energy and utility supplies procurement and carbon footprinting/sustainability analysis to produce your net zero strategy.
Our specific IPC services are:
- Antimicrobial fabric treatments; for the laundering of bed linen, towels, staff uniforms and residents clothing. This provides a residual long lasting anti-viral and anti-bacterial quality to ensure that all fabrics are hygienically clean and will not allow the transmission of sources of infection.
- Ozone generators for water treatment, laundry processing, room/air purification and fabric/clothes, etc cleaning; systems will be specified for the application and are available for sale or rental.
- Copper Silver ionisation based water treatment systems for controlling Legionella Pneumophila, Pseudonomas Aeruginosa and other water borne bacteria; water storage and distribution systems will be surveyed so that the correct equipment is specified and installed.
- Copper cover antimicrobial surface treatment for handles, push plates, etc; this is an age- old principle of deploying the antimicrobial properties of copper, applied to surfaces using current state of the art technology.
- Laundry machinery, process specification, detergent supply and hygiene quality diagnostics; our team of experts can quickly analyse your laundry operation, advise on any issues and provide solutions.
We will be pleased to come along and carry out a brief introductory survey of your care home.
Please also come along and speak to us at the following venues:
20th September at the National Conference Centre – https://carehomesipc.co.uk/
and
18th October at the Care Home Road Show – https://www.careroadshows.co.uk/london/