Infection Control

Infection control and quality monitoring

MRSA - What is MRSA?

We all carry bacteria on and in our bodies. MRSA (Meticillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) is a bacteria which can cause infections.

About three percent of us are carriers of MRSA. This is called colonisation and means it lives harmlessly on our skin and in our noses when we are healthy. There's no way of knowing if you are a carrier as there are no symptoms.

It is not normally dangerous to the general public or people in their own homes but it can affect those who are ill. Commonly MRSA causes boils, infected wounds, abscesses, bloodstream infection, chest infection and urine infection. MRSA has become resistant to some antibiotics.

There are two reasons this happens:

• a course of antibiotics is not finished as prescribed
• antibiotics are overused allowing the bacteria to develop a resistance

Download our MRSA information guidance [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 80.67 KB]

C Dif (Clostridium Difficile) - What is Clostridium Difficile?

Clostridium difficile is one of many bacteria that live harmlessly in the human bowel. 'Good' bacteria keeps it in check. Some antibiotics can 'kill off' the good bacteria and occasionally damage the lining of the bowel. Sometimes there are no symptoms of Clostridium difficile, but often it presents itself as diarrhoea, fever; loss of appetite; nausea and abdominal pains and tenderness.

Download our C Dif information guidance [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 114.58 KB]

PVL - What is PVL Staphylococcus aureus?

Staphylococcus aureus ('SA') is a bacterium (germ) that commonly lives on healthy skin. About one third of healthy people carry it quite harmlessly, usually on moist surfaces such as the nostrils, armpits and groin. This is known as colonization. Some types of Staphylococcus aureus produce a toxin called Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) and they are known as PVL-SAs. (Panton and Valentine were two doctors who first found this chemical which can kill white blood cells called leukocytes – hence ‘leukocidin’).

Download our PVL information guidance [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 19.73 KB]

Scabies - What is Scabies?

It is a skin problem which is caused by a tiny parasite (mite) which burrows into the skin.  There may be no symptoms for the first 4-6 weeks after catching scabies, but it will develop into an allergic type rash anywhere on the body, but often on the fingers, wrists, around the waist and on the buttocks.

Download our Scabies information guidance [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 71.01 KB]

Quality Monitoring

‘High quality care should be as safe and effective as possible, with patients treated with compassion, dignity and respect.  As well as clinical quality and safety, quality means care that is personal to each individual’.

The Commissioning Infection Prevention and Control Team are responsible for monitoring the quality and standards of infection prevention and control within commissioned and contracted services including:

• Acute (Hospital/Treatment Centres) 
• GP’s
• Care Homes
• Dentists. 

Quality must be seen from the patient’s perspective and has three distinct elements:

• Safety: How safe will I be? 
• Effectiveness: How effective will treatment be? 
• Experience: What will the experience be like? 

The Commissioning Infection Prevention and Control Team ensure through a programme of monitoring that patients are kept safe and treated in an environment that is acceptable to them.

If you have concerns around Infection Prevention and Control please contact your local PALS office who will ensure that your concerns are dealt with appropriately. 

If you require any advice on Infection Prevention and Control please contact the team on 0300 300 1234.

Information for Independent Contractors

Legionaires Disease a Guide for Employers [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 103.96 KB]

Legionella Risk Assessment in theWorkplace [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 26.09 KB]

Legionella Factsheet [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 18.52 KB]

Health and Social Care Act 2008 [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 766.67 KB]

Care Quality Commission Guide to Dental Registration [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 358.61 KB]

Department Of Health Decontamination Health Technical Memorandom 01-05 [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 3.49 MB]

Department Of Health Dental Audit Toolkit [Adobe Acrobat PDF - 829.06 KB]

Providing Quality in Care Homes Study Day

The study day was to provide care homes with information on potential ways to improve quality and to give the opportunity for networking. A range of speakers were invited and included Fiona Stephenson and Afra Kelsall from the Care Quality Commission, Mark Hipkiss from East Midlands Strategic Health Authority, Sally Palmer from Sherwood Forest Hospitals and Jackie Betts, Julie Wright and Amanda Jones from NHS Nottinghamshire County.

Download presentations from the study day ‘Providing Quality in Care Homes’.

Welcome and Introduction [PowerPoint Presentation - 86 KB]
Care Home Conference [PowerPoint Presentation - 101.5 KB]
CQC [PowerPoint Presentation - 6.44 MB]
Independent Contractor [PowerPoint Presentation - 1.52 MB]
Quality and Safety [PowerPoint Presentation - 99.5 KB]
Care home presentation [PowerPoint Presentation - 9.83 MB]
MRSA [PowerPoint Presentation - 353 KB]