INFECTION CONTROL IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT


When considering new builds or refurbishments of existing properties, or just repurposing of your existing premises, all healthcare building work should have infection prevention and control capability built in. For all such building works from inception to final sign off, it is recommended from the Department of Health and NHS organisations throughout the UK to have infection prevention and control input throughout the planning, building and sign off stages of all projects which are healthcare related. There are multiple reasons for this including:

• Getting initial design correct at the beginning
• Avoiding costly rectification works
• Ensuring full compliance with healthcare building guidance*

* where full compliance cannot be achieved, it is highly recommended for the service provider to take IPC specialist healthcare building guidance to identify potential risk areas. Ensure IPC best practice is possible within all new or
refurbished premises and risk is reduced to all service users (patients, visitors and staff) from a variety of potential infections or transmission

Services/premises which can be guided by staff at AGH Infection Control Services Ltd
include:

• Primary Care (GP practices, community hubs, satellite units)
• Care Homes
• Residential
• Nursing
• Dental practices
• Acute and Independent Hospitals
• Non-healthcare buildings

Sites audits are undertaken by an IPC specialist from the AGH team and include a standard full IPC review of the current building and rooms with recommendations on options for possible layout changes if required (subject to available space and funding). Audits or reviews can be of a single room or rooms to a full site (GP, dental, hospital etc). Discussion with staff around required layout changes and options forrepurposing existing space. Any recommendations within existing rooms will be made to maximise IPC efficacy.



IPC Compliant vs IPC Safe

Many older buildings may not be IPC compliant and making them fully compliant can be extremely costly. IPC specialist advisors can review any healthcare and non-healthcare sites with their years of experience and recommend any mitigations which may be required to ensure sites can be IPC safe, if not able to be fully IPC compliant.

All recommendations can ensure that premises can future proof themselves against any possible future pandemics or guidance changes and maximise safety for all patients, visitors and staff alike.

We will strive to ensure a healthcare building meets its CQC requirements (as required), though this will depend on initial review of a premises and subsequent report.