Infection Control
To the right are several documents required in an infection control audit.
It has come to the attention of Liverpool LOC that practioners have been contacted regarding an infection control audit as the transition from the PCT to CCG continues.
Below is advice that the LOC provides to its Practictioners and has been taken directly from LOCSU.
'Quality in Optometry has a tool for contractors to complete an Infection Control audit.
However, the QiO website which makes it clear that such audits are not a requirement for GOS contract compliance..
This allows the contractor, performers and clinical assistants to work through a check list, with the assistance of help sections, and then produce a statement of Infection Control. A significant number of the items are covered within Level 1 (contract compliance), whilst some items are extra and more applicable to level 2. Completion of this audit is not a requirement for contract compliance, although it may be reasonable to require its completion as part of funded clinical governance. The resulting Compliance statement can be used as an infection control section of the practice Health and Safety policy.
Our advice is that the LOC should contact the person who sent the letter (we now know it was Jo Dillon) and advise her that this is not normal practice and that the information being requested in the audit is normally gathered as part of the contract compliance process via practice visits (currently by PCTs and in future by the NHS CB).
In the meantime we suggest that the LOC does not agree to any visits and that you contact all contractors (by letter or email) advising them that they should not agree to these visits until the requirement has been clarified.
The concern is not the requirements in the lists as such, but more about the visits and what could follow etc.'
The following has also been received from the NHS commissioning board.
'With regard to the Optical Audit tool for Infection Control; this is purely a voluntary initiative and Optical Contractors can decide for themselves if they want to complete it and are under no obligation to do so.
If they find it useful to complete the audit, however, the Infection Control Nurses will be able to advise where improvements can be made.
In future any NHS initiatives of this nature, which may be of benefit to Community Optometrists, will be discussed with the LOC, before being communicated to the wider optical community.'
Infection control is part of good clinical practice and the following website link provides a similar audit to the one proposed.
If not already, a practioner can easily set up their own username and password.
Once logged in, three audits are found Record Keeping, Infection Control, Information.
The infection audit is relatively straight forward. With most points being able to be met and is good practice to undertake.
The LOC have downloaded the following pdf documents to hep community optometrists comply with an infection audit as per the QiO website.
1)Essential retail SR4 COSHH poster,
2)College of Optometrists A03 guidelines on infection,
3 College of Optometrists guidelines on disposal of waste,
4) NHS hand washing poster
5)HSE Bloodborne Virus advice in pdf format.
You can ask employee's to read and sign as proof required and place in relevant areas of your practice.
The following contact details are for suppliers of clinical waste management should you not have one in place.
Initial: 01942 275 786
PHS: 01204 862 361
Wastegone.com: 0845 643 1910
Should you require any of the above please email[email protected]
It is therefore recommended that you should only accept these visits should you wish to have an infection audit. If not decline the offer. If you have an appointment booked cancel it if you so wish.