The HSE’s Infection Prevention and Control Link Practitioner Programme being delivered in the South East

Throughout the month of February, the HSE is delivering an intensive five day Infection Prevention and Control Link Practitioner Programme for staff of private nursing homes and disability services organisations in the South East.

The building of capacity within community health and social care services to identify and manage Infection Prevention and Control risk is a key priority for the HSE and its Quality, Safety and Improvement Team in its South East Community Healthcare organisation.

A total of 24 private nursing homes in counties Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford and four disability care organisations (one each from counties Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford and one regional provider and supported by the HSE through funding per Sections 38 and 39 of the Health Act) are completing the programme this month, in its first delivery in a community setting in the South East.

Following this training, recognised Infection Prevention and Control Link Practitioners (IPCLPs) will act as a local resource and role model for their service, whilst also being supported by a wider network of HSE Community Infection Prevention and Control Clinical Nurse Specialists.

The Infection Prevention and Control Link Practitioners (IPCLPs) role is designed to support service providers to implement effective Infection Prevention and Control practices in their facility or service.

Speaking following a programme session in the Hoban Hotel, Kilkenny, Mary Clare Hayes (Asst. Director of Nursing/Infection Prevention and Control, HSE/South East Community Healthcare) said:

“Where 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, 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 be facilitating and supporting the roll-out of this programme. This intensive five day programme (four days of which are online and then followed by a regional gathering) allows the newly trained IPCLP to gain an enhanced knowledge on the many aspects of Infection Prevention and Control, antimicrobial stewardship, risk management, clinical audit and outbreak management.”

“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.”