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Guidance

Additional information and resources for adult social care managers

Published 28 October 2026

© Crown copyright 2026

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infection-prevention-and-control-ipc-in-adult-social-care-asc/additional-information-and-resources-for-adult-social-care-managers

This section is designed for registered care managers and those in leadership roles. It supports leaders to maintain safe environments, deliver high-quality care, and meet regulatory requirements.

Key summary

  • infection prevention and control (IPC) is a legal requirement for care providers
  • registered managers are responsible for safe care and infection prevention
  • Care Quality Commission (CQC) checks that providers have systems in place to prevent and manage infection
  • strong systems are needed including policies, training, and risk checks
  • regular audits help improve care and prevent outbreaks
  • clean, well‑designed environments support infection control

Call for action

  • keep IPC policies and outbreak plans up to date
  • train and support staff to be competent
  • keep the environment clean and safe
  • carry out and act on risk assessments
  • monitor and audit IPC regularly
  • report and learn from infections and outbreaks
  • have an IPC lead and link with health professionals
  • produce annual IPC reports on IPC activity and improvements
  • consider IPC in building design and improvements

This is designed for registered care managers and those acting in a managerial capacity within the ASC sector. It provides clear, detailed guidance on:

  • key legislation relevant to IPC in ASC
  • roles and responsibilities for managers, including developing policies, leading audits, and ensuring compliance
  • practical considerations for IPC when planning new builds or refurbishment projects, including seeking IPC advice at an early stage

The aim is to support registered managers in creating safe environments, maintaining high standards of care, and meeting regulatory requirements.

Key actions for registered managers

Registered managers should:

  • appoint an IPC lead
  • make sure IPC policies and procedures are up to date and reviewed regularly
  • ensure staff receive IPC training and competency assessment
  • monitor infection risks and manage outbreaks promptly
  • complete and act on IPC audits
  • keep records of learning, actions and improvements
  • seek IPC advice when planning refurbishments or new building projects

Key legislation

Health and social care Act (2008; updated 2012 and 2022)

The Health and Social Care Act 2008: code of practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance, often called the Code of Practice, plays a crucial role in ensuring that IPC is a legal and professional priority within ASC settings in England. The Act strengthens regulation and accountability, requiring providers to protect service users from avoidable infections and unsafe care practices.

Under the Health and Social Care Act, ASC providers must deliver safe care and treatment, which includes effective IPC measures. This is enforced through Care Quality Commission (CQC) fundamental standards, particularly:

  • safe care and treatment
  • cleanliness and hygiene
  • proper management of infection risks

ASC providers are legally required to prevent, detect, and control infections.

The Health and Social Care Act gives the CQC authority to inspect, monitor, and take action where IPC standards are not met.

The Act ensures providers take all reasonable steps to protect people from infection and cross-contamination.

Providers must also meet the  Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and The fundamental standards of care - Care Quality Commission, which describe the standard of care people should expect.

Effective IPC is essential to:

  • reduce illness and outbreaks
  • prevent avoidable hospital admissions
  • protect life and wellbeing

The Health and Social Care Act is important because it provides the legal framework for infection prevention and control in adult social care. It requires providers to take reasonable steps to protect people accessing care and support from infection and supports accountability where standards are not met.

Care Quality Commission (CQC)

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors, inspects and regulates health and adult social care services in England. It assesses how providers deliver safe and good-quality care.

CQC inspections look at many aspects of care. This includes how providers prevent and control infection. Inspectors may assess whether:

  • infection risks are identified and managed
  • environments are clean and well maintained
  • staff follow IPC policies and procedures
  • personal protective equipment (PPE) is used appropriately

Failure to comply can lead to enforcement action, including improvement notices or closure of service.

The CQC also registers and regulates providers that deliver regulated personal care services in people’s own homes. This includes support with tasks such as washing, dressing and eating. Domiciliary care (homecare) providers that deliver regulated activities must register with the CQC. Some services, including personal assistants employed directly by an individual, may not be required to register with the CQC. Services that only provide non-care support, such as shopping, cleaning or general household tasks, are not regulated by the CQC.

CQC monitors, inspects and regulates services and publishes their findings about the quality of the care delivered. Where there is poor care, CQC uses their powers to act. The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) set out the standards that registered providers must meet: Regulation 12: Safe care and treatment and Regulation 15: Premises and equipment.

CQC assesses whether providers meet the relevant regulations. Inspectors consider how providers prevent and control infection and may refer to the Code of Practice when assessing compliance. Providers may demonstrate compliance using approaches that are equivalent to or better than those described in the Code.

Examples of how providers can demonstrate compliance

Providers may meet the Health and Social Care Act requirements in different ways. The examples below show common approaches that can help demonstrate effective IPC arrangements.

Registered managers should ensure that:

  • IPC policies and procedures are up to date and reviewed regularly
  • staff receive IPC training and competency assessment
  • cleaning, waste and laundry arrangements are effective
  • infection risks are assessed and managed
  • outbreak plans are in place and understood by staff
  • IPC audits are completed and findings acted upon
  • incidents and outbreaks are reviewed and used to improve practice

Health and Social Care Act 2008: code of practice Appendix A provides examples of how the 10 criteria of the code of practice apply in certain types of ASC services and settings. 

Systems and processes for IPC

Registered managers should appoint an IPC lead with appropriate knowledge and responsibility for IPC practices, including cleanliness and relevant antimicrobial stewardship principles.

Registered managers should ensure IPC policies are in place, regularly reviewed and monitored to make sure they remain effective and are followed.

IPC training should be provided on induction of all staff and refreshed in line with local policy, national guidance and identified learning needs.

Registered managers should keep a record of key contacts who can provide IPC advice, including healthcare professionals, local IPC teams, UKHSA health protection teams and local authority public health teams.

Sources of IPC advice and support for registered managers 

Registered managers should ensure they are familiar with the most up-to-date national and local IPC guidance and know who to contact for advice. 

Useful sources of information include: (this is not exhaustive)

To ensure that IPC advice and support is sought where appropriate, registered managers should have clear local arrangements for escalating IPC concerns and reporting outbreaks.

In the event of a suspected outbreak or significant infection incident, managers should: 

  • follow local outbreak procedures
  • seek advice from their local IPC team where available
  • contact the UKHSA local Health Protection Team for advice and support
  • inform relevant health and social care professionals involved in the care of affected people
  • keep accurate records of actions taken and advice received
  • communicate with people accessing care and support, their families and staff as appropriate
  • smaller or independent providers should ensure staff know who to contact during normal working hours and out of hours for IPC advice and support

Homecare services 

Registered managers of domiciliary care services should have arrangements in place to identify and respond to infection risks across multiple households. This may include reviewing staff rotas to identify links between cases, being alert to and investigating patterns of infection among people accessing care and support and taking prompt action where concerns are identified.

Registered managers should also ensure staff have access to portable hand hygiene supplies and appropriate PPE when providing care in people’s homes. 

Registered managers should review incidents that may affect infection prevention and control, including missed or delayed visits due to outbreaks, staff illness, and difficulties accessing PPE or hand hygiene supplies. 

Annual statement

An annual statement for care providers in England is a summary of how a care service has performed over the previous year and what it plans to do in the year ahead. There is no legal requirement for ASC providers to produce or publish an annual statement, but many providers choose to do so as part of good governance and quality improvement. It is usually produced by ASC providers such as care homes, home care agencies, and supported living services.

There is no legal requirement to use a specific format for an annual statement. From an IPC perspective, it is good practice to include the following information:

  • known outbreaks of infection
  • action taken following an outbreak of infection
  • audits undertaken and subsequent actions
  • risk assessments undertaken for prevention and control of infection
  • education and training received by staff
  • review and update of policies, procedures and guidance
  • homecare providers may evidence this information through records such as incident logs, training records and outbreak summaries.

Annual reports are usually kept and used by the care service and local council quality teams to check how well a service is doing and where it can improve. CQC inspectors may look at these reports during inspections, but they also use other information to make sure services are safe and provide good care.

Auditing

Quality improvement is a continuous process of making care and support safer, more effective and person-centred. Audit is one way of supporting quality improvement by reviewing practice against agreed standards, identifying areas for improvement, and checking whether changes have led to better outcomes.

Auditing in ASC settings plays a vital role in ensuring quality, safety, accountability, and continuous improvement of the services provided.

Those conducting audits should be appropriately trained to do so.

IPC audits are good practice and help providers monitor standards, identify areas for improvement and prepare for CQC inspection. Audits should be used to support learning and continuous improvement.

Regular IPC audits:

  • help identify risks and areas for improvement
  • provide evidence of monitoring and oversight
  • support staff learning and development
  • help track progress over time
  • encourage staff involvement in maintaining IPC standards

Key areas that ASC settings may consider auditing include:

  • hand hygiene
  • cleanliness of the environment and care equipment
  • PPE use
  • outbreak readiness

Audit templates may be available from Community IPC Teams, local IPC teams or other local organisations that provide IPC support to ASC providers.

Useful information on auditing and quality assurance is available on the Skills for Care quality assurance and continuous improvement page.

Internal audit schedules should be managed by registered managers or those deputising that role.

For homecare services, audits may also include portable hand hygiene supplies, PPE stock management, cleaning of equipment carried between households, and review of infection-related service disruptions.

Refurbishments and new builds (communal care settings)

When planning refurbishments or new ASC sector builds, consult your IPC advisor in line with local arrangements.

Infection risk should be carefully considered during the design process, alongside the goal of creating a comfortable, homely environment.

Considerations should include:

  • ensuring there is sufficient and appropriate storage to protect equipment from damage and contamination (for example for PPE, medical devices, and care equipment)
  • quality finishes which can be readily cleaned and are resilient
  • flooring that is slip resistant and easily cleaned
  • surfaces that are not negatively affected by detergents and disinfectants, and will dry quickly
  • sufficient provision of hand hygiene facilities placed in appropriate places
  • sufficient ventilation and heating
  • sufficient space to process and store linen and waste
  • sufficient dedicated hygienic storage for cleaning equipment
  • sufficient toilets, bathrooms, ensuites, sluice rooms and clean utility rooms

Health Building Note 00-09: Infection control in the built environment is a useful document and some elements may be applicable for ASC settings.

Existing premises 

Many ASC services work from older buildings that cannot easily be changed. Managers should make practical improvements where possible to reduce the risk of infection and help keep people, staff and visitors safe. 

Examples may include: 

  • making sure hand hygiene facilities are easy to access
  • replacing damaged surfaces that are difficult to clean
  • improving storage areas to reduce the risk of contamination
  • improving ventilation where possible
  • making sure cleaning processes are effective and carried out regularly

Homecare services: vehicles, storage and equipment 

Registered managers of domiciliary care services should ensure suitable arrangements are in place for the transport, storage and cleaning of equipment used between home visits. 

Considerations include: 

  • keeping clean and used equipment separate during transport
  • using containers with lids to protect equipment from contamination
  • ensuring staff have access to hand hygiene products and cleaning materials when travelling between visits
  • maintaining adequate stocks of PPE for mobile workers
  • ensuring reusable equipment is cleaned and decontaminated according to local procedures
  • regularly checking vehicle storage areas and equipment containers to ensure they are clean and fit for purpose
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