Infection Control Protocol in Care Homes- Is your Laundry Room Co
Here in the UK, the laundry rooms of your care home must be compliant with the latest infection control protocols. Obviously, safety and hygiene is particularly vital in care homes, since they often have many vulnerable residents.
Here are some things to check to see if your care home is complaint:
Ensure that contaminated materials are kept away from clean ones.
There should be a clear separation between clean and soiled clothing, sheets, and so on. Contaminated items should be handled separately from clean ones to prevent cross-contamination.
You might want to use colour-coded bags or containers to help distinguish between the two.
Implement proper sorting and washing procedures.
Sorting your fabrics based on the level of soiling is crucial. High risk items include those that have bodily fluids on them, and these need to be washed separately. It should also be done at a higher temperature to prevent further infection.
Make sure you’re using the right Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Any employees working in your laundry room should be wearing the right PPE. This includes gloves and possibly gowns or aprons, therefore preventing them having any direct contact with potentially infectious fabrics.
Check your washing process is effective, and you’re using the right detergents.
Laundry machines should operate at temperatures and with detergents that effectively clean and disinfect the linens. Regular maintenance and cleaning of machines are crucial to ensure they're functioning optimally.
Store your clean laundry so they’re well protected from contamination.
You should ensure your shelving or storage units are kept clean and well-organised. Clothing or bedding should be covered or sealed until they are used.
Train your staff in the latest infection control protocols.
Proper training of your laundry room staff on infection control protocols is critical. They should fully understand the importance of separating items, handling, and washing procedures to maintain a salubrious environment.
Have regular audits and inspections of your laundry room.
This will ensure you meet the compliance with infection control protocols. This involves checking procedures, equipment, and staff adherence to guidelines.
At Spark Care we have compliance consultants who provide comprehensive care home laundry services. They can provide you with a full laundry audit and can provide the latest machines for your needs. One of our experts can also spend time with your staff to ensure they’re meeting the latest infection control standards.
Our work includes carrying out a 58 point laundry and linen audit. This will assess your existing laundry processes against Department of Health HTM 01-04 EQRs
Make sure your record-keeping is up to date.
It’s always worth keeping detailed records of your procedures, from washing temperatures and types of detergents used to cleaning schedules and any incidents. This will help you identify areas for improvement.
Maintaining a compliant laundry room in a care home is crucial for preventing the spread of infections among residents, staff, and visitors. Compliance with these protocols ensures a safe and hygienic environment within the care facility.
If you’re seeking experts in infection control protocols, don’t hesitate to contact our team for more information.
