This International Infection Prevention Week, we are standing ‘UPPP’ for Infection Prevention with our IPC colleagues at Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). UPPP stands for Unite, Protect, Prevent and Prevail and are four pillars that also reflects what it takes to support our vision to create a world where no person if harmed by a preventable infection.
To help with this we are highlighting practical guidance for IPC practitioners and more widely health and social care professionals, patients, and visitors to reduce the risk of infection and improve safety across health and social care settings.
Infection prevention and control (IPC) is everyone’s responsibility, from boards and leadership teams to frontline staff, patients, clients and visitors.
Top tips for IPC practitioners
Embed leadership support and governance
- Ensure your organisation prioritises IPC, allocates dedicated resources, and maintains clear lines of accountability. Use frameworks linking IPC to quality and safety metrics to support decision-making.
Maintain and publicise core policies
- Keep IPC policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) up to date, easily accessible, and ensure staff are trained in key processes like PPE use, isolation, and safe patient transfer.
Strengthen surveillance and feedback
- Conduct routine monitoring of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) and device-associated infections, analyse trends, and provide timely, actionable feedback to staff and leadership.
Foster education and competency
- Provide role-specific training, simulation exercises, and scenario-based learning. Use audits to identify gaps and encourage cross-disciplinary training to build a shared culture of safety.
Engage patients and visitors
- Educate patients and families on hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and safety practices. Encourage respectful participation in infection prevention measures.
Plan for outbreak readiness
- Maintain outbreak plans, rehearse responses, and work closely with local health protection teams and stakeholders such as estates and facilities and operational colleagues. Use structured frameworks like the “hierarchy of controls” to manage risks. Be dynamic with your risk assessment.
Promote antimicrobial stewardship
- Collaborate with AMS colleagues and clinical teams to ensure appropriate prescribing and reduce opportunities for resistance, linking IPC efforts to safer antimicrobial use. Use toolkits such as UKHSA Start Smart, then Focus and Antibiotic Review Kit (ARK) via BSAC.
Use behaviour change and implementation science
- Address barriers to compliance systematically, use bundles of evidence-based interventions, and continuously evaluate and scale successful strategies.
Measure impact and celebrate success
- Track infection rates, patient outcomes, and cost savings. Share achievements with staff and stakeholders, especially during International Infection Prevention Week.
Stay current and contribute to evidence
- Engage with professional networks, webinars, and conferences. Keep up to date with guidelines and innovations, and share lessons learned through research and quality improvement initiatives.
Top tips for everyone
Clean your hands
- Hand hygiene remains one of the most effective ways to prevent infection.
Follow respiratory hygiene
- Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing and dispose of tissues safely.
Use antibiotics responsibly
- Only take antibiotics as prescribed, and discuss their use with healthcare providers.
Get vaccinated
- Stay up to date on recommended vaccines to protect yourself and others.
Together, we can make a real difference in protecting our community from infection.
