Infection Prevention & Control

Infection prevention and control is fundamental to the effective provision and management of a safe environment for patients, healthcare workers and visitors at CUH.  Infection prevention and control is everyone’s responsibility.

The Infection Prevention and Control Team

The Infection Prevention and Control team (IPCT) is a multidisciplinary team who promote best infection prevention and control practice.

The IPCT includes

• Clinical Nurse Specialists
• Consultant Microbiologists
• Registrars / SpRs in Microbiology
• Surveillance Scientist
• Antimicrobial Pharmacist

These staff have a specialist knowledge, experience and training in Infection Prevention and Control in the hospital setting. 

The work of the IPCT includes:

• • Clinical advice service
  • Infection prevention and control advice service including compiling records of patients colonised or infected with transmissible micro-organisms such as MRSA, Clostridioides difficile, Influenza,      ESBLs, VRE, COVID-19
  • Liaison between the laboratory and ward staff in relation to positive microbiology results
  • Identification, tracking and management of outbreak situations as they occur
  • Education of all grades of staff
  • Clinical and environmental audit
  • Production and update of infection prevention and control guidelines in relation to emerging national and international guidelines 
  • Surveillance 
  • Input into other services e.g., technical services, project works, commissioning, hygiene services, and waste management

Health Protection Surveillance Centre

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) is Ireland's specialist agency for the surveillance of communicable diseases. National guidelines and documentation are disseminated from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). HPSC is part of the Health Service Executive and works in partnership with health service providers and sister organisations in Ireland and around the world, to provide the best possible information for the control and prevention of infectious diseases. HPSC strives to protect and improve the health of the Irish population by providing timely information and independent advice, and by carrying out disease surveillance, epidemiological investigation and related research and training. 

• Produces all national guidelines in relation to prevention Health Care Associated infections(HCAI)
• Produces patient information leaflets  including:

MRSA

COVID-19

CRE

VRE

ESBL

Hand Hygiene

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis C

Influenza

Health Care Associated Infection

These information leaflets for the general public are also available to read and download on the HPSE website.