Describe the roles and responsibilities of personnel in relation to infection prevention and control in a health or social care setting

In every Health and social care setting, each person has a certain responsibility. Each care worker should be responsible for their own actions with regard to protecting themselves and others from infection. Throughout this essay I will be discussing the roles and responsibilities of care and non-care workers, managers and specialist personnel.
In every work place there should be policies set in place. These policies come from the law and make reference to the standard that is legally required in a health and social care setting. These include Fire Escape plans, Health and Safety policies and Infection Control policies. It is the managers responsibility to provide relevant policies to the workplace such as the ones listed above, update these policies regularly, and make these policies accessible to staff. The procedures set in place are a step by step guide which shows the staff exactly what should be done. For example disposal of sharps and a fire procedure which is pictured below.

It is all of the staff’s responsibility to know where the policies are, understand them and be able to follow the procedures. It is also necessary for all staff to follow basic hygiene rules such as washing hands appropriately and regularly using the 6 step hand washing technique which is pictured below.

It is also the Care staff, for example nurses’ duty to report to their manager and inform other staff under RIDDOR if a situation with a communicable disease arises. The Nurses must also use appropriate PPE for example specialised facemasks. If isolation of the patient is necessary they must do this and inform other of this decision. Finally they must monitor the patient regularly and report the condition of the patient. The Manager has to