Purpose

This annual statement will be generated each year in May in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 on the prevention of infections and related guidance. The report will be published on the practice website and will include the following summary:

• Any infection transmission incidents and any action taken (these will have been reported in accordance with our significant event procedure)
• Details of any infection control audits undertaken and actions undertaken
• Details of any risk assessments undertaken for the prevention and control of infection
• Details of staff training
• Any review and update of policies, procedures and guidelines

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) lead

The lead for infection prevention and control at Linden Medical Group is Mandy Parker, IPC Lead.

The IPC lead is supported by Alison Moxey, Nurse Manager.

Infection transmission incidents (significant events)

Significant events involve examples of good practice as well as challenging events.

Positive events are discussed at meetings to allow all staff to be appraised of areas of best practice.

Negative events are managed by the staff member who either identified or was advised of any potential shortcoming. This person will complete a Significant Event Analysis (SEA) form that commences an investigation process to establish what can be learnt and to indicate changes that might lead to future improvements.

All significant events are reviewed and discussed at several meetings each month. Any learning points are cascaded to all relevant staff where an action plan, including audits or policy review, may follow.

In the past year there have been 0 significant events raised that related to infection control. There have also been 0 complaints made regarding cleanliness or infection control.

Infection prevention audit and actions

There have been no CQC inspections in the last year for any actions to be raised.

There have been no external IPC inspections in the last year for any actions to be raised.

Internal audits

• Weekly clinical room cleans
• Quarterly infection prevention control audits
• Annual hand washing audit
• Minor operation – post injection infection audits
• Environmental audits – health and safety, fire risk and adhoc infection control

Risk assessments

Risk assessments are carried out so that any risk is minimized to be as low as reasonably practicable. Additionally, a risk assessment that can identify best practice can be established and then followed.

The following risk assessments are carried out periodically:

• General IPC risks
• Staffing, new joiners and ongoing training
• COSHH
• Cleaning standards
• Curtain cleaning or changes
• Staff vaccinations
• Infrastructure changes
• Sharps
• Water safety
• Assistance dogs

Training

In addition to staff being involved in risk assessments, significant events and audits, at Linden Medical Group all staff and contractors receive IPS induction training on commencing their post. Thereafter, all staff receive refresher training annually.

Various elements of IPC training in the previous year have been delivered, via on line training, from the HUB and eLFh, along with the in-house PLT sessions via the Local Training Hub.

Policies and procedures

The infection prevention and control related policies and procedures that have been written, updated or reviewed in the last year.

Policies relating to infection prevention and control are available to all staff and are reviewed and updated annually. Additionally, all policies are amended on an ongoing basis as per current advice, guidance and legislation changes.

Responsibility

It is the responsibility of all staff members at Linden Medical Group to be familiar with this statement and their roles and responsibilities under it.

Review

The IPC lead and Dr Nick Waters are responsible for reviewing and producing the annual statement.

This annual statement will be updated on or before the 25^th May 2025.