Winter respiratory preparedness

Winter respiratory preparedness

We have developed additional educational materials to support staff on winter respiratory infections and infection prevention and control in health care settings. These relate to new guidance ARHAI Scotland has published. The guidance replaces the Scottish COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Addenda.

The new educational materials, commissioned by Scottish Government, educate staff on the guidance change, and encourage organisations to consider key points in preparation for the winter season. These include:

• patient placement,
• risk assessment and
• additional infection prevention and control measures.

Two short presentations and an animation introduce the guidance and highlight key points. We worked in collaboration with ARHAI Scotland to ensure the animation was evidence-based and clinically up to date.

Prior to the publication of the guidance, stakeholders across Scotland had the opportunity to be involved in the consultation process and provide feedback. This was of benefit to NES to ensure that the educational materials we created considered the needs of our stakeholders.

Sofie French, Principal Educator, Antimicrobial Resistance & Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI), NES Public Health Team, said:

“This new guidance represents a significant and complex change for health and social care staff across Scotland this winter. It is hoped these infection prevention and control educational materials support staff to implement the guidance and build on existing learning from the current COVID-19 pandemic.”

Scottish Government’s Chief Nursing Officer’s Directorate and the COVID-19 Nosocomial Review Group (CNRG) have endorsed the materials. They are free to access on TURAS Learn for all health and social care staff across Scotland. No registration or account is necessary.

For more information contact: HAI@nes.scot.nhs.uk

 

---