Covid Information
My Homecare will keep up to date with the latest public health and national government information about the risk of coronavirus in the UK, particularly with developments from new variants. The infection control lead for the organisation will maintain close links with local health protection teams and will be responsible for circulating essential information to staff and, where necessary, to service users and their families. They will also update the organisation’s management team.
My Homecare will comply fully with official advice, including Coronavirus (COVID-19): Provision of Home Care (updated November 2021), published by Public Health England and/or the equivalent updated guidance for Wales care providers issued by the Care Inspectorate Wales and Public Health Wales. Public Health Scotland has issued COVID-19 — Information and Guidance for Social, Community and Residential Care Settings.
Infection Control and Prevention Procedures:
My Homecare believes that general adherence to high standards of infection prevention and control allied to vaccination are the best ways to prevent the person-to-person spread of pathogens such as coronavirus and maximise the safely of staff, service users and their families.
To achieve My Homecare infection control policies and procedures will be implemented in full, especially those related to effective hand hygiene, sanitisation and environmental cleaning.
Care managers and supervisory staff should make sure that people:
- are fully vaccinated and receive boosters as recommended, currently vaccinations are not mandatory, however My Homecare are strongly advising all staff to be vaccinated and take the boosters when available.
- keep a safe distance from one another in social interactions that do not require close contact (such as when delivering personal care)
- wear face coverings in enclosed situations particularly where 2m physical distancing is difficult to maintain and where the regulations make their wearing compulsory
- cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or their sleeve (not their hands) when they cough or sneeze
- put used tissues in the bin immediately
- wash their hands with soap and water regularly for 20 seconds and use hand sanitiser gel (at least 60% alcohol) if soap and water are not available
- try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
- avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Staff should comply fully with hand sanitisation policies and procedures. Managers will ensure that policies are supported by the provision of appropriate resources such as hand sanitiser gels that contain at least 60% alcohol for home care staff.
The advice should be passed on to service users. It is important that care staff adhere to high standards of infection control practice while in services users’ homes and that they ask service use users to do so too. Regular cleaning of frequently touched hard surfaces with a suitable disinfectant and cleanser should be carried out.
My Homecare will comply fully with all existing infection control and prevention guidance, including:
- for England, the Health and Social Care Act 2008: Code of Practice on the Prevention and Control of Infections
