IPC Annual Statement

Ottershaw Surgery

9th June 2025

Purpose 

This annual statement will be generated each year in June, 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 Ottershaw Surgery is Leah Lawther Managing Partner.  

The IPC Lead is supported by Dr Christopher Turner ad Dr Kavitha Parameswaran. 

a.         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 has been 0 significant event raised which related to infection control. There has also been 1 complaint made regarding cleanliness or infection control. 

b.         Infection prevention audit and actions

Internal audits carried out this year included:

·       Waste management

·       Cleaning audits

·       Handwashing audit

·       Sharps

As a result of these audits, the following reminders were given to staff during PLT :

·       Refresher for ‘dealing with specimens’ policy

·       Local contact numbers for the Infection control team

·       Correct use of alcohol based hand rubs

·       Needlestick Injury

·       Reminder to staff to keep all clinical areas visibly clean and free from extraneous items

c.         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:

 

·       Legionella

·       Fire

·       H&S

·       Disability Access

·       COSHH

·       Cleaning standards

·       Privacy curtain cleaning or changes

·       Staff vaccinations

·       Infrastructure changes

·       Sharps

·       Blind loop cords

·       Clinical waste

·       Abusive, aggressive patients

·       Workplace driving

·       Emergency medication

·       Premises security

·       Locking & unlocking

·       Bloodborne virus

·       Slips/trips & falls

·       Wheelchair use

·       Controlled drugs not kept on site

·       Lone working

·       Assistance dogs

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

 

·       Asbestos

d.         Training

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

 

 

e.         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:

 Infection Prevention Control Handbook

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. 

f.          Responsibility

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

g.         Review

The IPC Lead and the Partners are responsible for reviewing and producing the annual statement.

This annual statement will be updated on or before June 2026

 

Signed by

Leah Lawther

For and on behalf of Ottershaw Surgery

 

Published on 14 March 2026