It is important for everyone working in care to understand the principles of infection prevention and control. Good infection prevention and control will minimise the risk of healthcare associated infections and will help protect both the people you care for and yourself.
This is the latest respiratory illness and outbreak pack for care homes for winter 2025/26.
The pack is intended to help care homes detect and notify about respiratory outbreaks quickly, to minimise the impact of outbreaks this winter. The average length of outbreaks have been shown to be significantly reduced by prompt escalation to UKHSA.
Although many community pharmacies more local to you can access stock quickly, you have the option to send prescriptions directly to Asda Killingbeck who hold a stock of Oseltamivir 75 and 30mg capsules specifically for care homes, to meet the requirements of starting treatment within 48 hours.
Leeds Community Health Care IPC team have provided a number of short leaflets aimed at supporting visitors to care homes around wearing a mask, washing hands using gel etc. The leaflets are available below and can be either sent to visitors or printed out. They are also useful for new staff and any other visitors plumbers, builders delivery people and more.
These links take you to presentations related to the Care Homes Supertrainers Training.
Please play the slides as a presentation as then the slides auto-play with the voiceover.
Leeds IPC Team have produced the Guidelines for the Control of Outbreaks of Gastroenteritis Infections in Nursing and Residential Care Homes.
NICE have produced a guide Helping to Prevent infection: A quick guide for managers and staff in care homes.
The Department of Health have produced the prevention and control of infection in care homes summary for staff.
The government have their admission and care of residents in a care home during COVID-19 guidance.
Leeds community health care's infection control team’s web page. This contains resources and guidance on topics including audit tools, cleaning, clostridium difficile (CDI), influenza outbreaks, sepsis, legionnaires, antimicrobial resistance and handwashing.
The infection control team can be contacted for information and advice on:
Phone: 0113 843 4511
To notify and get to advice contact the Communicable Disease Control team.
Phone: 0113 378 5900
To notify and to get advice contact Public Health England.
Phone: 0113 386 0300
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