Infection prevention control

Latest information and guidance on care home infection prevention controls (IPC).

New IPC guidance specific to care homes

The guidance is for people responsible for setting and maintaining standards of IPC within adult social care in England, such as care managers.

​View COVID-19 supplement for information on the changes that apply and have been updated to the Guidance Infection prevention and control in adult social care. This sets out how to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in adult social care settings in England and on measures that remain unchanged.​​​  

This supplement should also be read with the adult social care testing guidance, which details the testing regimes for all staff, as well as any resident and outbreak testing where applicable.

Updated DHSC COVID-19 guidance

The following changes have been made to the 'COVID-19 supplement to the infection prevention and control resource for adult social care’:

  • Updated section on face masks: Visitors as well as staff might consider wearing a mask if they are aware they are a household or overnight contact of someone who has had a positive test result for COVID-19. 15 December 2022
  • Updated to reflect announcement on use of masks: the guidance now recommends a risk-based approach. The guidance has also been updated to reflect changes to outbreak management in care homes that enable providers to initiate risk assessment themselves. Added a section covering if a member of staff is symptomatic or tests positive for COVID-19
  • Updated to add links to COVID-19 PPE guide for adult social care services and settings, COVID-19 PPE guide for unpaid carers, and PPE guide for non-aerosol generating procedures.

For more information:

Maintaining IPC, PPE, acting promptly on results and outbreak measures remains important. The information below is a quick reference.

Continued importance of testing and IPC measures
IPC measures
Vaccination As many people as possible getting vaccinated and boosted
PPE Maintaining PPE adherence to keep people safe
Testing Continued symptomatic testing to identify positive cases
Acting on results Isolating/staying far away upon a positive test result, following rapid response/outbreak protocols and/or obtaining therapeutics
Outbreak measures Alerting HPTs and following outbreak measures to prevent further transmission
Visiting Ensuring residents can have at least one visitor - even if isolating or in outbreak

Prevention and Control of Infections Code of Practice 

The code of practice document has been updated to reflect changes to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, and the role of infection prevention and control (IPC) (including cleanliness) in optimising antimicrobial use and reducing antimicrobial resistance. The new document takes account of changes to the IPC landscape and nomenclature that have occurred since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read Health and Social Care Act 2008: code of practice on the prevention and control of infections

Summary guidance for ASC providers

These summarised tables (GOV.UK) are designed to highlight where guidance about COVID-19 for ASC specifically for care homes has been changed. Topics include: clarified suctioning and tracheostomy procedures, Dementia considerations and the wearing of masks by visitors, covering staff, shifts away from asymptomatic testing, new staff testing, residents, admissions, managing contact with people with COVID, discharge from hospital into a care home, resident symptomatic management and visiting arrangements.

Includes updated section on face masks: Visitors as well as staff might consider wearing a mask if they are aware they are a household or overnight contact of someone who has had a positive test result for COVID-19.

Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGPs)

AGPs are medical procedures that can cause the release of particles from the respiratory tract which can increase the risk of airborne transmission to those in the immediate area. AGPs in the community include suctioning procedures on people with tracheostomies, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or ventilatory support.

A FFP3 respirator is required when carrying out an AGP on a resident with known or suspected COVID-19 or other infection spread by the airborne or droplet route. The use of FFP3 respirators is governed by Health and Safety regulations which state that the user must be trained and fit tested. There are regulated recommended companies/trainers who can be sourced to undertake fit testing (enquire through your local Public Health Team at PublicHealthEnquiries@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk).

Workers should wear a 11R face mask when carrying out AGPs on residents not known or suspected to have COVID-19 or other infection spread by the airborne or droplet route.

Gloves and eye protection should also be used, and gowns instead of aprons.

Identify any residents with AGPs and ensure that workers who may be exposed have been fit tested, are trained and that a ready supply of FFP3 respirators are available.

National resources

Up to COVID-19 guidance for social, community and residential care providers

Updated: 20/02/2023