All Polices

Infection Prevention and Control

IPC Annual Statement Report

Shawbirch Medical Centre; 23/8/2024

Purpose 

This annual statement will be generated each year in August, 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 practice 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 Shawbirch Medical Centre is Donna McIntyre, Lead Treatment Room Nurse.

The IPC lead is supported by Laura Cheung, Site Manager.

 

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 or Learning 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 quarter. 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 have been no significant events raised which related to infection control. There have also been no complaints made regarding cleanliness or infection control.

 

Infection prevention audit and actions

Monthly infection control audits are carried out throughout the building, as well as an annual complete infection control check. Annual handwashing audits are carried out on clinical staff.

 

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:

  • General IPC risks
  • Staffing, new joiners and ongoing training
  • COSHH
  • Cleaning standards
  • Privacy curtain cleaning or changes
  • Staff vaccinations
  • Sharps

 

Training

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

 

Policies and procedures

The infection prevention and control-related policies and procedures that have been written, updated, or reviewed annually.

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.

 

Responsibility

It is the responsibility of all staff members at Shawbirch Medical Centre to be familiar with this statement, and their roles and responsibilities under it.

 

Review

The IPC lead and Laura Cheung, Site Manager are responsible for reviewing and producing the annual statement.

This annual statement will be updated on or before 30/9/2025

 

Signed by

Donna McIntyre

For and on behalf of Shawbirch Medical Centre

Access

Shawbirch Medical Centre has been built to be as accessible as possible. There are disabled parking spaces, level access, three disabled toilets and a lift to the first floor.  Our reception has a hearing loop and patient information is available in accessible forms such as large print or Braille. We work closely with a local Sign Language Interpreting Service and  have supported our staff with training in supporting people who are blind, partially-sighted or deaf. We have access to interpreting services for all languages if this is required.

If you require information in an alternative format, please contact us and advise us of your needs.

Named Accountable GP

The Medical Centre is now required to allocate a named accountable GP to all its patients, including children.

The patient’s allocated named accountable GP is responsible for the co-ordination of all appropriate services required and ensures they are delivered where required (based on the clinical judgement of the named accountable GP). This is largely a role of oversight, with the requirements being introduced to reassure patients they have one GP within the practice who is responsible for ensuring this work is carried out on their behalf.

However, overall responsibility for patient care has not changed and the Medical Centre is still ΄practice based΄.  A patient can still request, or may be allocated, an appointment with another doctor or nurse at the Medical Centre.  The Centre maintains electronic medical records allowing all clinicians access to up to date information about each patient.

Next time you have an appointment at the surgery, please ask the doctor/nurse to advise your Named Accountable GP. New patients registering with the Medical Centre will be informed of their Named Accountable GP as part of the registration process.

Out of hours care is provided by Shropdoc.

Summary Care Record

The Summary Care Record (SCR) is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.

Why do I need a Summary Care Record?

Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.

This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.

Who can see it?

Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.

Do I have to have one?

No, it is not compulsory. If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it along to the surgery. You can use the form at the foot of this page.

More Information

For further information visit the NHS Summary Care records website

GP Net Earnings

NHS England require that the net earnings of doctors engaged in the practice is publicised, and the required disclosure is shown below. However it should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time doctors spend working in the practice, and should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with any other practice

All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.

The average pay for GPs working in Shawbirch Medical Centre in the last financial year was £58,113 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 1 full time GP, 9 part time GPs and 5 locum GPs who have worked in the practice for more than six months.

[17 March 2025]

Duty of Candour

The Medical Centre has published a Duty of Candour policy which is available for download here..

Violence Policy

The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation, we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.

Complaints

We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.

However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

To pursue a complaint please review the information below and contact us either by letter, telephone, email or the online form, and we will deal with your concerns appropriately.

Access to Records

In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. No information will be released without patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.

Please click here for information about accessing your medical records.