Infection Control Audit - Care Homes

Evidence to check

• • Named IPC lead with role description or delegated responsibility
• • IPC lead training record and recent update evidence
• • Examples of IPC checks, walkarounds, advice to staff, or escalations
• • Evidence that issues identified by the IPC lead led to action

Evidence to check

• • Induction and refresher IPC training records
• • Observation of staff practice during care, cleaning, laundry, and mealtimes
• • Staff able to explain how IPC applies to their role
• • Competency checks, supervision notes, or corrective action where practice was poor

Evidence to check

• • Soap, running water, disposable towels, and suitable bins available
• • Facilities accessible near care delivery areas and toilets/bathrooms
• • No empty dispensers, broken taps, or missing towels
• • Staff actually using facilities at appropriate points

Evidence to check

• • Hand rub at entrances, care areas, trolleys, and other suitable points
• • Products in date and dispensers working
• • Staff using hand rub at appropriate moments
• • Hand rub not used as a substitute when soap and water is required

Evidence to check

• • Direct observation of care, medication rounds, meal support, toileting support, and equipment use
• • Hand hygiene before and after resident contact
• • Hand hygiene after glove removal and before moving to another task
• • No repeated missed opportunities or unsafe shortcuts

Evidence to check

• • Recent hand hygiene audit records
• • Audit method includes observation, not only paperwork review
• • Results shared with staff individually or in team meetings
• • Action plans and follow-up checks where compliance was weak

Evidence to check

• • Observation of personal care, continence care, cleaning, laundry handling, and isolation care
• • Correct use of gloves, aprons, masks, eye protection, or other PPE where required
• • No routine overuse of PPE where not indicated
• • Staff can explain why PPE was or was not needed for the task

Evidence to check

• • PPE stations, cupboards, trolleys, and stock areas checked
• • PPE clean, dry, accessible, and not stored on floors or in bathrooms
• • Stock monitoring or ordering records
• • Staff feedback on whether PPE is available when needed

Evidence to check

• • Observed donning and doffing during care or scenario check
• • Staff remove PPE in correct order and avoid touching contaminated surfaces
• • Hand hygiene completed after removal
• • Training or competency records include practical assessment

Evidence to check

• • Waste bins labelled and appropriate for waste stream
• • Bins not overfilled and lids/pedals working
• • PPE disposed of in correct waste route
• • Staff able to explain domestic, clinical, offensive, and sharps waste routes

Evidence to check

• • Walkaround of resident rooms, lounges, dining areas, toilets, bathrooms, sluice areas, and clinical areas
• • Cleaning products appropriate to risk and used according to instructions
• • No visible soiling, odours, dust build-up, or unmanaged spillages
• • Cleaning records match the condition of the environment

Evidence to check

• • Cleaning schedules for all areas, including high-touch points
• • Named responsibility or role allocation
• • Completed cleaning records with no unexplained gaps
• • Records checked against observation of cleanliness

Evidence to check

• • Outbreak or enhanced cleaning schedules
• • Evidence of increased cleaning frequency for high-risk areas
• • Staff awareness of enhanced cleaning requirements
• • Management checks confirming enhanced cleaning was completed

Evidence to check

• • High-touch areas such as handrails, call bells, door handles, light switches, lift buttons, dining tables, remote controls, and shared equipment
• • Records of daytime high-touch cleaning
• • Observation of cleaning activity during the audit
• • Staff can identify high-touch risk areas

Evidence to check

• • COSHH assessments and safety data sheets accessible
• • Staff know safe dilution, contact time, storage, and PPE requirements
• • Products are labelled and not decanted unsafely
• • Training and supervision records for cleaning duties

Evidence to check

• • Colour-coded equipment available and in correct areas
• • Equipment clean, dry, and stored off the floor
• • No use of toilet/bathroom equipment in food or bedroom areas
• • Staff observed using the correct equipment for each area

Evidence to check

• • Laundry flow separates clean and dirty routes where possible
• • Soiled or infected linen handled safely and bagged correctly
• • Appropriate wash temperatures or soluble bags used where required
• • Clean laundry protected during storage and transport

Evidence to check

• • Clean linen covered, stored off the floor, and protected from contamination
• • Dirty linen not carried against clothing or left in corridors
• • Laundry trolleys or bags used appropriately
• • Staff use PPE and hand hygiene after handling soiled linen

Evidence to check

• • Observation of commodes and toilet equipment
• • Cleaning records or checks for shared equipment
• • Appropriate cleaning products available near point of use
• • No visible soiling, staining, odour, or unsafe storage

Evidence to check

• • Spill kits available, complete, and in date
• • Staff can explain the spill response process
• • Appropriate PPE and disposal route understood
• • Recent spill records or incident examples reviewed

Evidence to check

• • Care plan or temporary IPC instructions for the resident
• • Observation of PPE, hand hygiene, cleaning, laundry, and waste precautions
• • Resident wellbeing and dignity considered during isolation
• • Staff awareness of when precautions start and end

Evidence to check

• • Signage in use where clinically needed
• • Signs clear but not unnecessarily revealing personal health details
• • Staff and visitors understand the meaning of signs
• • Signage removed promptly when no longer needed

Evidence to check

• • Staff allocation records during infection risk or outbreak
• • Cohorting plan or risk assessment
• • Staff awareness of which residents or areas are affected
• • Evidence of reduced staff movement where possible

Evidence to check

• • Visitor information at entrance or booking stage
• • Hand hygiene facilities available for visitors
• • PPE offered and explained where needed
• • Staff challenge or support poor visitor IPC practice appropriately

Evidence to check

• • Outbreak records, timelines, and communications
• • Contact with UKHSA/local health protection team, GP, ICB, or relevant professionals where required
• • Advice received and implemented
• • Records of resident, family, staff, and regulator communications where applicable

Evidence to check

• • Current outbreak management plan
• • Staff can explain initial actions during suspected outbreak
• • Evidence of outbreak debriefs, scenario learning, or drills
• • Updates made after incidents or guidance changes

Evidence to check

• • Ventilation checks, maintenance records, or risk assessments
• • Mechanical ventilation maintained where installed
• • Airflow considered in communal and outbreak areas
• • Resident comfort, privacy, temperature, and safety considered

Evidence to check

• • Window restrictors or safety controls in place where required
• • Staff understand when and how to increase airflow
• • Residents not left cold or unsafe
• • Risk assessment where windows are used for ventilation

Evidence to check

• • Records of staff vaccination status where lawfully collected
• • Information and support offered for flu, COVID-19, or other relevant vaccines
• • Risk assessments for staff at higher risk where applicable
• • IPC controls still followed regardless of vaccination status

Evidence to check

• • Resident vaccination records or GP/pharmacy communication
• • Evidence residents or representatives were offered information and choice
• • Best-interest or capacity considerations where relevant
• • Follow-up where vaccines were declined or missed

Evidence to check

• • GP or prescriber communications about suspected infections
• • Records of symptoms, observations, urine testing rationale, or wound concerns
• • Antibiotic start and review dates recorded
• • Staff monitor effectiveness and side effects and escalate concerns

Evidence to check

• • Recent IPC audit reports and spot checks
• • Audits include observation, not only document review
• • Action plans with named owners and deadlines
• • Evidence of follow-up and completion

Evidence to check

• • Team meeting notes, handovers, supervision, newsletters, or learning alerts
• • Evidence staff can describe recent IPC learning
• • Changes made to cleaning, PPE, hand hygiene, laundry, or outbreak practice
• • Follow-up checks showing learning has been embedded

Evidence to check

• • Occupational health or risk assessment records where applicable
• • MRSA or other screening only where clinically or locally required
• • Clear action taken after positive results or symptoms
• • Confidentiality maintained

Evidence to check

• • IPC policy review date and version control
• • Staff know where to find IPC guidance
• • Policy reflects actual care home practice and current risks
• • Updates made after outbreaks, incidents, audits, or guidance changes

Evidence to check

• • Staff interviews and scenario questions
• • Maintenance or defect reporting records
• • Escalation of low stock, equipment failure, or IPC breaches
• • Managers respond promptly and document action

Evidence to check

• • Symptom monitoring records for residents and staff where appropriate
• • Observation charts, temperature checks, or clinical monitoring where needed
• • Escalation to GP, NHS 111, community nursing, or emergency services where required
• • Clear criteria for ending monitoring or precautions

Evidence to check

• • Observation of shared equipment before and after use
• • Cleaning labels, logs, or responsibility allocation
• • Correct products used for equipment type
• • No shared equipment visibly dirty, sticky, dusty, or stored unsafely

Evidence to check

• • Sharps bins checked for fill level, label, closure, and safe location
• • Staff can explain safe sharps disposal and injury response
• • Needles or lancets not found in domestic or clinical waste
• • Sharps injury records and follow-up where applicable

Evidence to check

• • Mouth care items labelled and stored separately
• • Toothbrushes or denture pots clean and not shared
• • Mouth care plans followed in practice
• • Staff use hand hygiene and PPE where needed

Evidence to check

• • Observation of kitchenettes, dining rooms, and snack/drink preparation
• • Raw and cooked foods separated
• • Food-contact surfaces clean and sanitised
• • Staff follow hand hygiene when assisting residents to eat or drink

Evidence to check

• • Care records identify individual IPC risks
• • Risk information is communicated to relevant staff
• • Controls are specific to the resident, not generic
• • Changes in risk are reviewed and escalated

Evidence to check

• • Catheter care plans and records
• • Staff explain catheter hygiene, bag position, emptying, and hand hygiene
• • Signs of UTI or blockage monitored and escalated
• • Community nursing or GP communication where required

Evidence to check

• • Wound care records, body maps, photographs where used lawfully, and dressing plans
• • Dressing supplies stored cleanly and within date
• • Staff follow agreed technique and PPE requirements
• • Deterioration, odour, discharge, pain, or infection signs escalated

Evidence to check

• • Observation before meals, activities, and personal care
• • Residents offered hand hygiene support where needed
• • Information explained in a way residents can understand
• • Dignity, choice, and capacity considered

Evidence to check

• • Agency or visitor induction information
• • Sign-in declarations or IPC briefing where relevant
• • Observation of non-permanent staff practice
• • Staff challenge unsafe practice regardless of role or seniority

Evidence to check

• • Environmental walkaround records
• • Maintenance logs for damaged surfaces or cleaning barriers
• • No porous, cracked, or damaged surfaces in high-risk areas
• • Action taken where the environment prevents effective cleaning

Evidence to check

• • Stock cupboards and treatment areas checked
• • Sterile or clinical items in date and packaging intact
• • Single-use items not reused
• • Reusable items cleaned and stored according to instructions