Infection control resources

Patient placement/isolation

Care home winter outbreaks

• Care home winter outbreaks pack

Hand hygiene

• Save lives – clean your hands
• Hand hygiene – why, how and when?

Respiratory and cough hygiene

• Infection prevention and control in adult social care: acute respiratory infection - GOV.UK
• Catch it, bin it, kill it - GOV.UK

How to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Donning and doffing PPE for aerosol-generating procedures
• Donning and doffing PPE for non-aerosol generating procedures

Safe management and decontamination

Safe management and decontamination of care equipment

• Safe management of care equipment - Infection prevention control website
• Safe management of care equipment - GOV.UK

Safe management and decontamination of the care environment

• Safe management of the care environment - Infection prevention control website

Safe management of linen

A red alginate (water-soluble) bag should be used for soiled or infectious linen.

Clean linen should only be taken into the room when required. Do not store clean or used linen in the room.

• Linen processing within adult social care: information sheet - GOV.UK

Safe management of blood and body fluid spillages

• Safe management of blood and bodily fluids - GOV.UK

Safe management and disposal of waste

• Management and disposal of healthcare waste

Safe management of inoculation injury, including handling and disposal of sharps

• Sharps injuries – what you need to do
• What should I do if I injure myself with a used needle?

Personal health and hygiene

Staff who develop symptoms of diarrhoea and/or vomiting should report them to their manager, and, if possible, a specimen should be obtained. Staff should remain off work until symptom-free for 48 hours.

• NHS National infection prevention and control - NHS England
• COVID-19: information and advice for health and care professionals - GOV.UK
• Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement
• Summary of changes to COVID-19 guidance for adult social care providers - GOV.UK
• National specifications of healthcare cleanliness 2021
• Infection prevention and control: resource for adult social care - GOV.UK
• Infection prevention and control in adult social care settings - GOV.UK
• Infection prevention and control: quick guide for care workers - GOV.UK
• Mask and outbreak guidance updated in care settings - December 2022

SICPs' implementation monitoring must also be ongoing to ensure compliance with safe practices and to demonstrate a continued commitment to resident, staff, and visitor safety.

Page last updated: 2 December 2025