We aim to keep our practice clean, tidy and well maintained, providing a safe environment for our patients, staff and visitors. Our modern, purpose-built Medical Centre is cleaned and managed in accordance with national NHS guidance, including the National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2021 and the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM) for England.
If you have any concerns about cleanliness or infection control, please report them at your earliest opportunity to the reception so that these can be addressed promptly. Alternative, please email the practice at islingtoncentralmc@nhs.net.
Our GPs and nursing staff follow the practice Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Policy to ensure the care we provide, and the equipment we use, meets national standards and is safe for patient use.
We take measures to ensure we maintain the highest standards:
- Encourage staff and patients to raise any issues or report any incidents relating to cleanliness and infection control. All concerns are discussed and reviewed to identify learning and prevent recurrence.
- Carry out an annual infection control audit to ensure our infection control procedure are effective. Any recommendations are reviewed and implemented wherever practicable.
- Provide annual staff updates and mandatory training on cleanliness, hand hygiene, PPE, decontamination and infection control, in line with national requirements.
- Review our policies and procedures to make sure they are adequate and meet national guidance.
- Maintain the premises and equipment to a high standard within the available financial resources, ensuring reasonable steps are taken to remove or minimise infection risks.
- Use washable or disposable materials for items such as couch rolls, modesty curtains, floor coverings and towels, ensuring these are cleaned, laundered or replaced frequently following risk assessment.
- Make alcohol hand-rub available throughout the building to support good hand-hygiene practice.
- Ensure waste, sharps and clinical materials are stored, segregated and disposed of safely in accordance with national waste management regulations.
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS
In the past year, there have been no significant events that related to infection control. Any minor issues raised were reviewed and dealt with promptly.
AUDITS
An annual infection control audit has been undertaken at the practice and recommendations that were financially feasible have been implemented. Further actions have been built into our ongoing IPC improvement plan.
CLEANING SPECIFICATIONS
The cleaning staff work to structure cleaning schedules, and the daily cleaning of the medical centre is contracted to a company who follow national NHS guidance. Compliance is monitored through visual checks and regular review of cleaning documentation.
INFECTION CONTROL POLICY
The Infection Prevention and Control Policy is reviewed and updated annually, and more frequently if national guidance changes. Staff are made aware of updates and their responsibilities within the policy.
INFECTION CONTROL AND DECONTAMINATION
The named Infection Control and Decontamination Leads for the surgery are Dr Rodrigues and Dr Hai. Please address any non-urgent concerns in writing for their attention. If the issue is urgent, please inform the reception staff verbally in the first instance. All infection control and decontamination matters are treated as a priority.