Annual IPC Statement

IPC annual statement report

Woodlands Surgery

19th May 2025

Purpose 

This annual statement will be generated each year in May, in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance. The report will be published on the organisation’s website and will include the following summary:

  • Any infection transmission incidents and any action taken (these will have been reported in accordance with our significant event procedure)
  • Details of any infection control audits carried out and actions undertaken
  • Details of any risk assessments undertaken for the prevention and control of infection
  • Details of staff training
  • Any review and update of policies, procedures and guidelines

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Lead

The Lead for infection prevention and control at Woodlands Surgery is Charlotte Pickwick, Clinical Nurse Manager.

The IPC Lead is supported by Deb Chronicle, Practice Manager and Trish O’Donnell, Admin Support.

  1. Infection transmission incidents (significant events)

Significant events involve examples of good practice as well as challenging events.

Positive events are discussed at meetings to allow all staff to be appraised in areas of best practice.

Negative events are managed by the staff member who either identified or was advised of any potential shortcoming. This person will complete a Significant Event Analysis (SEA) form which commences an investigation process to establish what can be learnt and to indicate changes that might lead to future improvements.

All significant events are reviewed and discussed at several meetings each month. Any learning points are cascaded to all relevant staff where an action plan, including audits or policy review, may follow.

In the past year, there have been no significant events raised which related to infection control. There have also been no complaints made regarding cleanliness or infection control.

 

 

  1. Infection prevention audit and actions

An IPC Audit was completed in April 2025 and as a result –

  • laminated posters in all clinical rooms providing information on sharps bins, hand washing and needlestick injuries,
  • a clinical fridge cleaning rota and log created to ensure that cleaning frequency is logged
  • staff immunisations currently being administered

 

Water Quality Testing was completed on behalf of the surgery by Assured Air & Water on the 24/10/24 – Pass, no action required.

 

A pre-acceptance Waste audit was conducted in April 2025 with the support of Anenta Ltd and as a result –

  • a yellow lidded sharps bin added in the practice nurse room
  • waste bins currently being labelled correctly

 

A handwashing technique audit was carried out on clinical staff and as a result –

  • soap dispensers found to be ineffective and new wall mounted soap dispensers are in the process of being installed

 

Staff IPC training – the frequency of training has been updated to ensure that all staff receive their Infection Control training annually.

 

Antibiotic audits have been completed by the practice Pharmacist and Dr T Meddows.

The Practice plan to carry out the following audits in 2026 –

  • Annual IPC audit
  • Annual waste disposal audit
  • Waste Management Audit
  • Hand hygiene audit on all non-clinical staff
  • Cleaning audit
  1. Risk assessments

Risk assessments are carried out so that any risk is minimised and made to be as low as is reasonably practicable. Additionally, a risk assessment that can identify best practice can be established and then followed.

In the last year, the following risk assessments were carried out/reviewed:

  • Staff vaccinations – all staff have had a Hepatitis B, MMR and Varicella health risk assessment
  • Cleaning standards risk assessment – we work with our external cleaning contractor to ensure that the premises adheres to the National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness – a 6 monthly assessment of cleaning processes is conducted with our cleaning contractors to identify areas for improvement and discuss any issues that may have been identified.
  • Clinical fridges – a cleaning log has been created to monitor and ensure the clinical fridges are being cleaned as per current guidance
  • Legionella risk assessments – on a weekly basis, the taps are run for two minutes with temperatures checked and logged

In the next year, the following risk assessment will also be reviewed:

  • Legionella Risk Assessment Review – carried out on behalf of the surgery every two years by Assured Air and Water Ltd
  • Cleaning standards
  • Sharps
  • Staffing – ongoing training, new joiners, staff immunisations
  1. Training

In addition to staff being involved in risk assessments and significant events, at Woodlands Surgery all staff receive IPC induction training on commencing their post. Thereafter, all staff receive refresher training annually via e-learning.

  1. Policies and procedures

The infection prevention and control-related policies and procedures that have been written, updated or reviewed in the last year include, but are not limited to:

  • Waste Management
  • Cleaning Standards & Schedule
  • Laundering of linen, other fabric materials & uniforms
  • HIV
  • Pandemic Management
  • Legionella
  • Staff Screening & Immunisation
  • PPE

Policies relating to infection prevention and control are available to all staff and are reviewed and updated annually. Additionally, all policies are amended on an ongoing basis as per current advice, guidance and legislation changes.

  1. Responsibility

It is the responsibility of all staff members at Woodlands Surgery to be familiar with this statement and their roles and responsibilities under it.

  1. Review

The IPC Lead and Trish O’Donnell (admin support) are responsible for reviewing and producing the annual statement.

This annual statement will be updated on or before 19 May 2026.

Signed by

 

 

Charlotte Pickwick

For and on behalf of Woodland Surgery