As an IPC team we can support Adult Social Care colleagues with areas such as:
- IPC annual audits
- Dissemination of relevant guidance and updates
- Development of IPC resources
- IPC advice
- Facilitation of IC Lead forums specific to Adult Social Care held three times a year
- Outbreak management and support
You can find the contact details for the ICP leads in your area back on our main ICP page.
As of March 2023 the IPC team will no longer be providing a service at weekends and Bank holidays. This is due to a significant reduction in providers accessing the service and increased provider confidence related to IPC.
Links to useful national, local guidance and resources:
- Infection prevention and control in adult social care: acute respiratory infection - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- National Infection Prevention and Control Manual for England
- NHS England IPC - A to Z pathogen resource (draft)
- 2024/25 South East winter-readiness (infection prevention) information for care homes pack
- Infection Prevention Control, You're in safe hands
- South East Care Home Winter Preparedness slides 2023
- South East Care Home Winter Preparedness slides 2023 AUDIO
Staff member vaccination resources:
Covid-19 treatment eligibility criteria
The cohort of people eligible for COVID-19 treatments should continue to access free COVID-19 LFDs through the NHS (Local pharmacies)
Pharmacies may ask questions about an individual’s medical history to confirm eligibility for free tests and update patient records for future orders
Care homes and other registered care settings are encouraged to support eligible residents to access NHS testing and treatment and ensure the eligible resident has at least 3 LFD swabs prior to developing any symptoms
Providers should ensure that there are at least 3 tests available per eligible individual to enable them to test for 3 consecutive days if they develop symptoms of acute respiratory infection. It is important to plan and make sure there are always sufficient test kits in the home in advance
On 13 March, NICE published recommendations to expand the cohort eligible for COVID-19 treatments. A full list of those who are eligible, and information on how to access tests, is available at:
Covid-19-rapid-lateral-flow-test
Please access COVID treatment via CMDU, for more information please see the webpage below:
CMDU PHL Group
LFD service - Community Pharmacy England (cpe.org.uk)
Find a pharmacy that offers free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow tests - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
In the event you do require urgent IPC advice out of hours please contact:
- UKHSA in hours - 03442253861
Please note the UKHSA out of hours duty team will not provide COVID-19 related outbreak support.
The Integrated Care Board provides an on-call manager for urgent matters. Please note the on-call manager may not be clinical and will be unlikely to have a background in IPC:
- Isle of Wight - 0845 852 0013
- North/Mid Hampshire - 0845 852 0018
- South East Hampshire and Portsmouth City - 0845 852 0014
- South West Hampshire and Southampton City - 0845 852 0016