Grant Reilly
24th July 2023
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Health and social care staff will always have the latest infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance in their pocket thanks to a new app launched today (Monday 24 July 2023).
Get the guidance in your pocket
The Preventing infection in social care settings app was developed in partnership between the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI).
Developed specifically for the social care workforce, the app builds on existing knowledge and good practice and enables workers to have national guidance at their fingertips when they need it.
Welcoming the launch, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport Maree Todd MSP said:
‘The app is a great example of collaborative working to develop a user-friendly resource for social care staff, ensuring the latest infection prevention and control guidance is at their fingertips. I am pleased to see that this app has been shaped by social care staff to support and enhance their practice and ultimately improve care for people they support.’
Involvement
The app was trialled with workers in different settings across Scotland including some from South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership. Ian Beattie, Head of Health and Social Care said: ‘South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership continues to be committed to promoting the use of digital applications. The Preventing infection in social care app is a welcome addition to the suite of current support tools, alongside the Decision Support for Adult Support and Protection app and information available to frontline social care staff delivering services.’
Welcome
The partners behind the app also welcomed the launch.
Maree Allison, SSSC Acting Chief Executive, said: ‘This new app means workers have easy instant access to infection prevention and control guidance exactly when they need it. Using it to supplement their knowledge will help the workforce build confidence in their practice.’
Karen Reid, NES Chief Executive, said: ‘The app was developed with the involvement of the adult social care workforce to help support and enhance their practice and learning in infection prevention and control. Technology is a great enabler. Working collaboratively with partners, this is a great example of how we can use it to improve health and social care services and better outcomes for people.’
Dr Ann Wales, Programme Director, Knowledge and Decision Support, DHI said: ‘DHI is delighted to support this app through the Right Decision Service – the national decision support platform for health and social care. The Right Decision Service has a special commitment to delivering digital tools to support decisions by social care staff in care home and care at home settings, and it has been a pleasure to collaborate with NES and SSSC to deliver on this goal.’
National guidance
The app is based on the pocketbook Preventing Infection in Social Care Settings and aligns with national IPC guidance, in particular the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual and the Care Home Infection Prevention and Control Manual.
Preventing infection in social care settings is available for mobile devices and on the web. It will continue to be developed in line with guidance and feedback from people using it.
Webinars
There will be three free webinars for anyone interested in finding out more about the app and how to use it. You can register your place below. Each session will last an hour.
The Preventing infection in social care settings app is part of an expanding suite of digital tools produced by the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre called the Right Decision Service. This service aims to provide health and social care staff support to make safe decisions quickly ‘on the go’ based on validated evidence.
Notes to the editor
Preventing Infection in Social Care Settings is available on web or to download for Apple and Android.
The Right Decision Service is the Scottish Government-funded national decision support platform for Scotland’s health and social care. Initially led and developed by the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre, it is in the process of transitioning to NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland as a core digital service. Its mission is to provide a ‘Once for Scotland’ source of digital tools that support health and social care staff to make safe decisions quickly on the go, based on validated guidance and evidence.
Find out more at: rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk
Mobile app download: Apple Android
Media enquiries
Scottish Social Services Council: Nicola Chainey, Communications Manager, 01382 721926 or nicola.chainey@sssc.uk.com
NES: Mary-Jo O’Brien, Communications Manager, 07769 367659 or maryjo.obrien@nhs.scot
Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre: Ann Wales, Programme Director, Knowledge and Decision Support, 07850 951292 or ann.wales3@nhs.scot
Background
The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) is the regulator for the social work, social care and children and young people workforce in Scotland. Our work means the people of Scotland can count on social services being provided by a trusted, skilled, confident and valued workforce.
We protect the public by registering the social work, social care and children and young people workforce, setting standards for their practice, conduct, training and education and by supporting their professional development. Where people fall below the standards of practice and conduct we can investigate and act.
Find out more about us at: www.sssc.uk.com
NHS Education for Scotland (NES) helps people who work in health and social care to get the education and skills they need to provide good quality care for people in Scotland.
We provide education, training, workforce development, data and technology for health and social care in Scotland. Our goal is to create a workforce that meets people’s needs, as well as the needs of staff, carers, and the people of Scotland by working in partnership with our staff, learners and stakeholders.
Find our more about NES: www.nes.scot.nhs.uk
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