Preparation and communications

To make sure that your health and care area is ready for winter you should have the correct products, procedures and communications in place to stop infections spreading.  

At all times Standard Infection Control Precautions (SICPs) should be followed. SICPs are the basic infection prevention and control measures necessary to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious agents from both recognised and unrecognised sources of infection.

Use SICPs at all times

SICPs may be not be enough to  prevent cross-transmission of specific infections so you might need to also use additional precautions known as Transmission Based Precautions (TBPs) when caring for patients with a known or suspected infection or colonisation.

Further information on SICPs and TBPs can be found in the NIPCM and CHIPCM

Make sure that you have the contact details for your local infection prevention and control (IPC) team and NHS board health protection (HPT) team so you can easily get advice and support  on infection control and outbreak management during the winter season.

Communications 

Get vaccinated, get protected

Stay at home if you have sickness and diarrhoea

Feeling unwell

Assessment of infection risk

Avoid overcrowding shared spaces

Improve natural ventilation

Hand hygiene

Keep your hands clean

Hand gel is not effective against norovirus

Respiratory and cough hygiene

Use good respiratory hygiene

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE)

Care equipment and environment