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IPC annual statement report
Purpose
This annual statement will be generated each year in, in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance. The report will be published on the organisation’s website and will include the following summary:
- Any infection transmission incidents and any action taken (these will have been reported in accordance with our significant event procedure)
- Details of any infection control audits carried out and actions undertaken
- Details of any risk assessments undertaken for the prevention and control of infection
- Details of staff training
- Any review and update of policies, procedures and guidelines
Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Lead
The Lead for infection prevention and control at Pinhoe and Broadclyst Medical Practice is Natalie Smith, Nurse Manager.
The IPC Lead is supported by Emma Pacey, Health and Safety Lead.
a. Infection transmission incidents (significant events)
In the past year, there have been 0 significant events raised which related to infection control. There have also been 1 complaints made regarding cleanliness or infection control. The cleaning standard was noted to be requiring some improvement, particularly in the shared offices and toilets (i.e. staff areas as opposed to clinical rooms). A deep clean took place, and a change to cleaning provider was made in 2025. The new cleaning provider has more robust cleaning schedules which help us to meet the required cleaning standards.
b. Infection prevention audit and actions
Annual hand washing audit has taken place, this included a wide range of staff across the board. It included five moments of contact, and all staff audited, passed.
The cleaning company undertake monthly cleaning audits, and these are being monitored closely whilst the new company embed.
The IPC lead undertakes a quarterly in-depth IPC audit covering management of IPC, staff training, IPC policies and protocols, and IPC standards.
IPC also features as a standing agenda item on the Nurse team monthly agenda.
c. Risk assessments
In the last year, the following risk assessments were carried out/reviewed:
- General IPC risks
- COSHH
- Cleaning standards
- Privacy curtain changes
- Staff vaccinations
- Assistance dogs
- Heaters and coolers
d. Training
In addition to staff being involved in risk assessments and significant events, at Pinhoe and Broadclyst Medical Practice all staff receive IPC induction training on commencing their post. Thereafter, all staff receive refresher training annually.
Various elements of IPC training in the previous year have been delivered at the following times:
- Wound care update for the Nursing Team covered antimicrobial use, and a refresher on single-use consumables.
- Handwashing audit provided an opportunity for 1-2-1 refresher.
- Annual IPC e-learning for all staff – split by clinical / non-clinical.
- Sharps injuries, monitoring and maintaining the cold chain e-learning added for Nursing team.
e. Policies and procedures
The IPC policy has been updated to an IPC handbook. The IPC handbook is an overarching document which incorporates 27 individual IPC policies which have been adopted using the IPC guidance for general practice as a guide.
- Antimicrobial stewardship
- Aseptic technique
- BBVs (blood-borne viruses)
- Carpets and soft furnishings protocol
- C. difficile (Clostridioides difficile)
- CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease)
- Example infection control annual statement report
- Hand hygiene and handwashing audit
- Infection control inspection checklist
- Invasive devices
- MRGNB, including CPE
- MRSA
- Notifiable diseases
- Outbreaks of communicable disease
- Patient placement and assessment for infection risk
- PPE (personal protective equipment)
- Privacy Curtains Protocol
- PVL-SA (Panton-Valentine Leukocidin staphylococcus aureus)
- Respiratory and cough hygiene
- Respiratory illness
- Safe disposal of waste
- Safe management of blood and body fluids
- Safe management of care equipment
- Safe management of linen (including uniforms and workwear)
- Safe management of sharps and inoculation injuries
- Safe management of the care environment
- Scabies
- SICPs and TBPs (standard infection control precautions and transmission-based precautions)
- Specimen collection
- Staff exclusion from work
- Venepuncture
- Viral gastroenteritis/Norovirus
- Pest control
Policies relating to infection prevention and control are available to all staff and are reviewed and updated annually. Additionally, all policies are amended on an ongoing basis as per current advice, guidance and legislation changes.
f. Responsibility
It is the responsibility of all staff members at Pinhoe and Broadclyst Medical Practice to be familiar with this statement and their roles and responsibilities under it.
g. Review
The IPC Lead and Practice Manager are responsible for reviewing and producing the annual statement.
This annual statement will be updated in September 2026.
Signed by:
Natalie Smith
For and on behalf of Pinhoe and Broadclyst Medical Practice