Infection: Prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections in primary and community care

Since the publication of the NICE clinical guideline on the prevention of healthcare-associated infection in primary and community care in 2003, many changes have occurred within the NHS that place the patient firmly at the centre of all activities. First, the NHS Constitution for England defines the rights and pledges that every patient can expect regarding their care. To support this, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of all health and adult social care in England, ensures that health and social care is safe, and monitors how providers comply with established standards. In addition, the legal framework that underpins the guidance has changed since 2003. New guidance is needed to reflect the fact that, as a result of the rapid turnover of patients in acute care settings, complex care is increasingly being delivered in the community. New standards for the care of patients and the management of devices to prevent related healthcare-associated infections are needed that will also reinforce the principles of asepsis. This guideline assumes that all providers of healthcare in primary and community care settings are compliant with current code of practice on preventing and controlling infections[1]. The guideline aims to help build on advice given in the code and elsewhere to improve the quality of care and practice in these areas over and above current standards. The Guideline Development Group (GDG) recognises the important contribution that surveillance makes to monitoring infection, but it is not within the scope of this guideline to make specific recommendations about this subject. This clinical guideline is a partial update of 'Infection control: prevention of healthcare-associated infection in primary and community care' (NICE clinical guideline 2; 2003), and addresses areas in which clinical practice for preventing healthcare-associated infections in primary and community care has changed, where the risk of healthcare-associated infections is greatest or where the evidence has changed. Where high-quality evidence is lacking, the GDG has highlighted areas for further research. See http://publications.nice.org.uk/infection-cg139 for more details