Unit 39 - D2

A risk assessment is an important step in protecting residents and staff as well as complying with the law. The assessment helps focus on the risks that have the potential to cause harm and in this context, from the harm of acquiring an infection. In most instances, straightforward measures can readily control risks e.g. ensuring that clean and dirty linen are segregated to prevent cross contamination. The law does not expect that all risks will be eliminated, but requires that all steps that are reasonably practicable are taken to protect residents. The risk assessment is simply a careful examination of what could cause harm to residents in the workplace, including the risk of infection so that an assessment can be made on whether enough precautions have been taken to prevent harm.To assess the risks in a care home you must; Identify the hazards, decide who might be harmed and how, evaluate the risks and decide on precautions, record the findings by communicating and implementing them and finally review the assessment and update if necessary.

In many organisations, the risks are well known and the necessary control measures are easy to apply. In some smaller organisations, managers are often confident of understanding what is involved, and do the assessment themselves. In larger organisations, a health and safety advisor, or infection prevention and control advisor is sometimes brought in to help. In all cases, care staff should be involved in the process. They will have useful information about how the work is done which will make the assessment of the risk more thorough and effective. In order to achieve compliance with the registration requirement, registered providers should ensure that they have assessed the risks to residents relating to infection prevention and control. Identified risks should be recorded and steps taken to reduce or