Epic 3 National Evidence-Based Guidelines for Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections in NHS Hospitals in England

This guidance is based on the best critically appraised evidence currently available. Standard infection control precautions need to be applied by all healthcare practitioners to the care of all patients (i.e. adults, children and neonates). The recommendations are divided into five distinct interventions: • hospital environmental hygiene; • hand hygiene; • use of personal protective equipment (PPE); • safe use and disposal of sharps; and • principles of asepsis. These guidelines do not address the additional infection control requirements of specialist settings, such as the operating department or outbreak situations.