Preventing healthcare infections is a challenge for hospitals today.The Infection Prevention & Control Team (IPCT) play a key role in attaining this goal. If patients, visitors and staff adhere to correct infection prevention and control practices, then we can minimise or prevent the risk of transmission of infection to our patients, our visitors and our staff.
We work as a multidisciplinary team with all healthcare workers, patients and visitors to ensure that an effective infection prevention and control service is provided.
The role of the IPCT is to promote best infection prevention and control practice in order to ensure the delivery of a quality service for patients, visitors and staff.
Some of the key functions of the team include:
- Providing expert advice to all departments and staff on the management of infected patients and other infection control issues
- Educating healthcare workers regarding potential risks of infection
- Providing, monitoring and reviewing policies and guidelines for the prevention and control of infection
- Communicating and providing information to the healthcare worker on infection prevention and control
- Educating patients and their relatives regarding infection control precautions and the importance of hand hygiene
- Auditing infection control practices throughout the Hospital
The IPCT give advice on infections and how to prevent them but it is the responsibility of everyone - staff, patients and visitors to ensure that infection prevention and control practices are followed very carefully.
