Infection control

Summary

Review decision

Consultation on proposed withdrawal of the guideline

'The Institute considers that infection control practice has changed since the publication of this guideline in 2003 and that the guideline is no longer relevant to current practice in this area. It is therefore consulting on a proposal that this guideline be withdrawn. This would mean that the recommendations contained within this guideline would no longer apply to the NHS in England and Wales from 2 December 2008. Please read the letter to stakeholders for more information on how to contribute to this consultation'.

Guideline summary

The NICE clinical guideline on infection control provides a set of measures to avoid infection that should be followed by anyone giving or receiving care at home, at a health centre or clinic, or elsewhere in the community.

They cover:

• ways of avoiding infection, including handwashing, using gloves and aprons, using sharps safely, and educating patients and their carers about infection
• ways of avoiding and controlling infection for people who need a urinary catheter, enteral feeding or a central venous catheter

Update to recommendation 1.2.5.13

Recommendation 1.2.5.13 of the guideline states that antibiotic prophylaxis should be used when changing urinary catheters for patients who have heart valve lesion, septal defect, patent ductus or prosthetic valve. 

However, this recommendation has now been superseded by recommendation 1.1.3 in the NICE clinical guideline on prophylaxis for infective endocarditis published in March 2008 (CG64 Prophylaxis against infective endocarditis: Antimicrobial prophylaxis against infective endocarditis in adults and children undergoing interventional procedures).

This recommendation states that:

1.1.3 Antibiotic prophylaxis against infective endocarditis is not recommended:

• for people undergoing dental procedures
• for people undergoing non-dental procedures at the following sites:
• upper and lower gastrointestinal tract
• genitourinary tract; this includes urological,
• gynaecological and obstetric procedures, and childbirth
• upper and lower respiratory tract; this includes ear, nose and throat procedures and bronchoscopy.

In view of this, antibiotic prophylaxis is no longer recommended for changing urinary catheters in patients at risk of infective endocarditis.

Documents

For healthcare professionals

• CG2 Infection control - Full guideline
• Infection control guidance - supplementary information sheets
• CG2 Infection control - NICE guideline

For patients, carers and the public

• CG2 Infection control - Information for patients, their carers and the public

Background information

• CG2 Infection control: letter to stakeholders
• Media briefing: Clinical guideline on community infection control
• 2003/022 NICE launches new clinical guideline on prevention of healthcare associated infections in primary and community care
• Scope for the guideline to prevent healthcare associated infection in primary and community care

Implementing this guidance

Any further information NICE has produced to help the NHS implement this guideline locally is linked to below:

• None found