An intensive 5-day HSE Infection Prevention and Control Link Practitioner Programme for staff at private nursing homes and disability service organisations was recently completed in the South East.

The ability to identify and manage infection prevention and control risk is a key priority for the HSE Quality, Safety and Improvement Team in South East Community Healthcare.

A total of 24 private nursing homes in counties Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford, along with 4 disability care organisations, completed the programme in recent weeks.

Following the training recognised Infection Prevention and Control Link Practitioners (IPCLPs) will now act as a local resource for their service. They will also be supported by a wider network of HSE Community Infection Prevention and Control Clinical Nurse Specialists.

Speaking following a programme session in Kilkenny, Mary Clare Hayes, Assistant Director of Nursing, Infection Prevention and Control, explained that “where they actively engaged, and with the support of their management, IPCLPs have over the past three years proven to have a valuable role in supporting their entire health and social care team to provide safe and quality care to service users in a wide variety of community health and social care settings. IPCLPs act as a local resource and role model for their service whilst also motivating their colleagues to improve infection prevention and control practices.

“The HSE South East Community Healthcare Infection Prevention and Control Nursing Team is delighted to have facilitated and supported the roll-out of this programme. The intensive 5-day programme allows the newly trained IPCLPs to gain an enhanced knowledge of the many aspects of Infection Prevention and Control, antimicrobial stewardship, risk management, clinical audit and outbreak management.”

She further explained that “in addition, each IPCLP will be an accredited Hand Hygiene and PPE trainer for their facility. The HSE Southeast Community IPC Nursing Team is very much looking forward to supporting these newly trained IPCLPs into the future. Our own residential care centres in the HSE are already in the programme and we also look forward to further roll-out with other nursing homes and organisations across the South East.”