Key Legislation of Infection Prevention and Control
Key Legislation of Infection Prevention and Control
Key Legislation of Infection Prevention and Control
Author: M.F
Who is the targeted audience? Employers and employee because together they can make sure that their health care setting is free from infection. Cleaners to make sure they use all the procedures to make sure the health care setting is free from infection. How does it relate to Infection Prevention and Control? It makes sure the infection is prevented through PPE Makes sure that contaminated equipment is not used on patient and infection is not spread by used the right procedures to make the equipment is either clean or disposed of correctly. Who is responsible to ensure that this takes place? Local authority Ward Managers Examples: If a patient had Tuberculosis and there was not a blue sign on the door informing visitors, staff and other patients then there is a huge risk that they could get the diseases.
RIDDOR 1995
The legislations key purpose
RIDDOR 95 stands for Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations in work places 1995. The main purpose is if any accidents or deaths occur, the law ensures that it is reported and then a risk assessment to be carried out. Every workplace must contain an accident report form as correct documentation of an accident, incident or near-miss is important. Note of dates and times should be written down in detailed notes. Why?
RIDDOR ensures that accidents are reported and investigated to identify all the causes and to make sure that rules and regulations are put in place to ensure that its does not happen again. By doing this it decreases the risk on employers or member of the public suing the company of criminal and civil legal actions.
A report on the persons death or accident must be reported to the HSE so that once that has been done, they can start risk assessments. It is important to have risk assessments on the person so they can investigate what happened to the person, of even if the person had a serious infection or any injuries. If the reports give useful information they could try and prevent infections on anybody else with the help of these reports. For example If somebody collapses, and an investigation takes place, they may find that this person had an infection which was found out by the risk assessment. If a child has diarrhoea or nausea, then this must be reported because it is easier for other people to catch it due to children sharing toys, sharing fluid and poor hygiene
The doctor must complete a certificate stating certain information of the individual;
Name Age Sex of the patient. The address of the premises where the patient is The notifiable condition from which the patient is, or is suspected to be, suffering.
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/publicationsands tatistics/publications/publicationspolicyandguidance/browsable/DH_580375 3
COSHH (2002)
What is the legislations key purpose?
These state that employers have a duty to protect their staff from any hazard, whether biological or chemical substance, that would cause injury to them. Any such substance should be stored or contained in such a manner that it is made safe as possible. This should be done because so that no infection is spread around the premises. Who does it target? This legislation target employer, employees and anyone in the work place including children of a small age and elderly people because young children might not know what hazardous substances are and elderly people might not know what they pick up and drink. COSHH targets children because if a employee leaves for example bleach on the table a child might think it is a drink and walk away with it and drink it. It also targets people who are using the substances because they should have protective equipment so that they are in no harm as well. How does it relate to infection prevention & control? COSHH relate to infection prevention control because the act make sure that chemical or biological substance are all stored away, so that everyone is protected.
Who is responsible to ensure that this takes place? The responsibility is on the employer because they have to assure that the safety of their worker is promoted. This is important so that for example children wont drink any harmful substances like bleach. Another example is that so that elderly people dont overdose on medication. You could assure this by locked all harmful substances away out of reach for example locking it in a cardboard.