Infection Control - Domiciliary Care

Evidence to check

• • Direct observation during spot checks or shadowing
• • Staff can explain when hand hygiene is required
• • Hand hygiene carried out before and after glove use
• • No missed hand hygiene between tasks during the same visit

Evidence to check

• • Staff carry appropriate PPE and hand sanitiser during visits
• • Office stock records show PPE is monitored and replenished
• • Staff know how to obtain replacement supplies
• • No reports of staff being unable to follow IPC due to lack of supplies

Evidence to check

• • IPC training records for sampled staff
• • Staff can explain how IPC applies in people's homes
• • Spot checks show staff following safe IPC practice
• • Refresher training completed after incidents, outbreaks or guidance changes

Evidence to check

• • Staff can describe correct donning and doffing sequence
• • Observation during spot checks where possible
• • Staff know how to dispose of PPE safely after removal
• • No unsafe practice such as touching face, phone or clean items with contaminated gloves

Evidence to check

• • Observed PPE use during personal care, continence care, cleaning or food support
• • Staff can explain when gloves, aprons or masks are needed
• • PPE changed between tasks where required
• • No inappropriate reuse of single-use PPE

Evidence to check

• • Staff can explain disposal arrangements for routine and infectious waste
• • Used PPE not left on surfaces or in inappropriate areas
• • Clinical or infectious waste arrangements in place where required
• • Care records or risk assessments reflect special waste arrangements

Evidence to check

• • Care plan identifies infection risks and required precautions
• • Staff know what additional PPE or precautions are required
• • Office records show staff were informed promptly
• • Contact with GP, community nurse or public health team where needed

Evidence to check

• • Isolation or infection-specific guidance in the care plan
• • Staff can explain how they reduce transmission risk
• • Essential care continues safely during isolation
• • Person and family receive clear explanations about precautions

Evidence to check

• • Uniform or work clothing policy
• • Staff can explain how they wash and transport uniforms
• • Staff avoid wearing contaminated clothing between visits where risk is identified
• • Guidance covers travel between homes and returning home after shifts

Evidence to check

• • Staff scenario-based responses
• • Exposure or sharps injury procedure available
• • Incident reporting and escalation records
• • Access to urgent medical advice or occupational health where needed

Evidence to check

• • IPC incident records
• • Management review of incidents
• • Actions taken to reduce recurrence
• • Evidence of staff learning or supervision after IPC concerns

Evidence to check

• • Observation during spot checks where possible
• • Staff can explain cleaning method and product used
• • Equipment cleaning records where required
• • Equipment visibly clean and stored away from contamination

Evidence to check

• • Care plan states cleaning or disinfection support required
• • Staff can explain high-touch surfaces and infection risks
• • Suitable products available and used correctly
• • Cleaning support recorded in care notes where required

Evidence to check

• • Observation during spot checks where possible
• • Separate cloths, mop heads or cleaning methods used for high-risk areas
• • Staff understand colour-coding or separation where used
• • No same cloth or equipment used between toilet and kitchen areas

Evidence to check

• • Products available in the home are suitable for agreed cleaning tasks
• • Staff understand safe use, dilution and contact time where relevant
• • No unsafe mixing of chemicals
• • COSHH information or safe-use guidance available where required

Evidence to check

• • Information shared with people and families
• • Care notes show advice or concerns discussed
• • Staff can explain how they support people to reduce infection risk
• • Advice is adapted to the person's understanding and home situation

Evidence to check

• • Individual IPC risk assessment
• • Care plan includes wounds, catheters, continence, respiratory risk or reduced immunity where relevant
• • Staff know the person-specific IPC precautions
• • Risk assessment reviewed after infection, hospital admission or change in health

Evidence to check

• • Personal care records
• • Care plan guidance on hygiene, continence, oral care and skin care
• • Staff support the person respectfully and consistently
• • Changes such as poor hygiene, skin breakdown or odour are reported and acted on

Evidence to check

• • Staff vaccination information where recorded lawfully and appropriately
• • Information shared with staff about flu, COVID-19 or other relevant vaccination programmes
• • Risk assessment for staff supporting clinically vulnerable people
• • No inappropriate pressure or breach of confidentiality in vaccination records

Evidence to check

• • Outbreak or infection contingency plan
• • Staffing arrangements during outbreaks
• • Prioritisation plan for essential visits
• • Communication records with staff, people, families and professionals during outbreaks

Evidence to check

• • Visit logs and staff rotas
• • Records show which staff visited which people and when
• • Changes to visits are recorded accurately
• • Information can be retrieved quickly during outbreak review

Evidence to check

• • Reporting procedure for outbreaks and notifiable diseases
• • Management knowledge of local UKHSA or public health reporting routes
• • Records of previous notifications where applicable
• • CQC notification considered where required

Evidence to check

• • Team meeting minutes or staff bulletins
• • Lessons learned records
• • Changes to care plans, spot checks, training or guidance
• • Follow-up checks showing improvement was sustained

Evidence to check

• • IPC audit records
• • Spot check or shadowing records
• • Audits include observation, staff questioning and record review
• • Actions from audits are followed up and closed

Evidence to check

• • Hand hygiene audit records
• • PPE audit records
• • Direct observation or shadowing evidence
• • Feedback given to staff after audit findings

Evidence to check

• • Staff can explain routine, clinical and infectious waste differences
• • Care plans identify clinical waste needs where relevant
• • Correct bags or containers used where required
• • Arrangements agreed with the person, family, local authority or healthcare professionals

Evidence to check

• • Risk assessment where pets may affect infection control or care tasks
• • Staff guidance on hand hygiene, food preparation and wound or catheter care around pets
• • Concerns about bites, scratches, fleas, faeces or unsafe conditions recorded and escalated
• • Person's preferences and emotional attachment to pets considered

Evidence to check

• • Staff feedback from supervision or meetings
• • Records of IPC concerns raised by staff
• • Management response and action taken
• • No evidence of concerns being ignored or staff discouraged from reporting

Evidence to check

• • IPC policy review date
• • Staff can access policy electronically or in print
• • Guidance is specific to domiciliary care, not only care homes
• • Staff know what to do when guidance changes

Evidence to check

• • Sample high-risk care plans and IPC risk assessments
• • Observation or spot check evidence
• • Care notes show IPC guidance followed
• • Changes or concerns are escalated promptly

Evidence to check

• • Sickness and exclusion guidance
• • Staff know when not to attend work
• • Rota decisions consider infection risk where needed
• • Records show action taken when staff report symptoms

Evidence to check

• • Care plan identifies meal support responsibilities
• • Staff wash or sanitise hands before food handling
• • Raw and ready-to-eat foods handled safely where relevant
• • Concerns about unsafe food storage or kitchen hygiene are reported

Evidence to check

• • Environmental risk assessments
• • Care notes showing home condition concerns
• • Escalation to office, family, housing, social worker or environmental health where required
• • Risk management plan in place where home conditions increase infection risk

Evidence to check

• • Care coordination notes
• • Rotas adjusted where infection risk requires it
• • Staff briefings before high-risk visits
• • New infection concerns communicated before the next visit