Infection Prevention and Control

Course Overview

Infection prevention and control sits at the heart of safe care. In health and social care settings, in early years environments, in hospitality and education, the daily actions of every member of staff either reduce infection risk or contribute to it. There is no neutral ground. And in settings supporting vulnerable individuals, the consequences of poor practice are not abstract. They are outbreaks, hospitalisations, and deaths that could have been prevented.

The gap between having an IPC policy and having a workforce that applies IPC principles consistently is, in most cases, a training and culture gap. And in delivery, the reality of how infection control is practised surfaces with striking regularity. Staff wearing gloves to protect themselves rather than to prevent cross-contamination between individuals. Aprons touched on the outside during removal and discarded in a way that transfers contamination to hands, clothing, and surfaces. Gloves worn through multiple tasks with the same individual, or across tasks with different individuals, because nobody has explained that changing gloves between tasks is not optional. It is the point. And underlying all of it, the most persistent and dangerous factor: complacency. The assumption that, because nothing has visibly gone wrong, the current practice is fine.

PPE is only effective when it is used correctly. Wearing it incorrectly, removing it in the wrong sequence, or selecting it for the wrong purpose provides no meaningful protection. This course changes that. It gives staff a clear, practical understanding of how infections spread, why standard precautions exist, and how to apply them correctly and consistently in the working environment they actually occupy.

The course reflects the UKHSA National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM) for England, NICE guideline NG202 (Healthcare-associated infections: prevention and control in primary and community care), and the expectations of the Care Quality Commission under Regulation 12 (Safe Care and Treatment). It aligns with employer responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, under which biological agents, including infectious microorganisms, are classified as hazardous substances requiring risk assessment and control.

Course Details

  • Duration: Half day (3 to 4 hours), or full day on request
  • Delivery: In-person at your venue, live online via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, or eLearning
  • Certificate: CPD-accredited certificate of achievement in Infection Prevention and Control
  • Refresher: Every 1 to 2 years, depending on sector, workplace risk, and regulatory expectations. The UKHSA recommends annual IPC training for health and social care staff, and annual refreshers are strongly advisable for any setting supporting vulnerable individuals
  • Group size: Up to 12 learners. Larger groups available on request

Who This Course Is For

This course is right for anyone working in an environment where infection risk is present and where poor practice can cause harm to vulnerable individuals or colleagues, including:

  • Care assistants and support workers in care homes, supported living, and domiciliary care
  • Senior carers and team leaders
  • Nursing and healthcare assistant staff
  • Early years practitioners and education staff
  • Hospitality, catering, and cleaning teams
  • Public-facing staff in any sector where hygiene and infection control are essential
  • Any organisation requiring infection prevention and control awareness training as part of induction, compliance, or ongoing CPD

It is particularly important for staff working with older adults, individuals with compromised immune systems, children, or anyone whose vulnerability to infection is heightened by their health condition or care needs.

Why Infection Prevention and Control Training Matters

Healthcare-associated infections, and infections acquired in care settings more broadly, are a significant and preventable cause of harm. The UKHSA National Infection Prevention and Control Manual sets the standard for IPC practice across health and social care in England, establishing the standard precautions that all staff must apply consistently regardless of whether an individual is known to carry an infection. Standard precautions exist because most infections are not visible, and because the people most likely to be harmed by inconsistent practice are those least able to withstand it.

NICE guideline NG202 addresses healthcare-associated infection prevention and control in primary and community care, and is directly relevant to domiciliary care, care homes, GP practices, and any setting providing care outside of an acute hospital environment. Its recommendations cover hand hygiene, PPE, environmental cleaning, and the management of care equipment, all of which are covered in this course.

Under CQC Regulation 12 (Safe Care and Treatment), providers must ensure that care is delivered in a way that prevents and controls the spread of infection. CQC inspectors assess IPC practice directly, looking at whether staff can demonstrate correct hand hygiene technique, whether PPE is being used appropriately, whether cleaning schedules are in place and followed, and whether the setting has a culture of consistent IPC practice rather than selective compliance. A care home where staff are wearing gloves incorrectly, removing PPE in a sequence that contaminates their hands, or carrying equipment between individuals without appropriate decontamination, is failing Regulation 12 in practice regardless of what its IPC policy says.

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers must protect employees from workplace hazards, including biological risks. The COSHH Regulations 2002 require employers to assess and control risks from hazardous substances, including biological agents. For health and social care employers, this means ensuring staff understand the infection risks in their working environment, how those risks are controlled, and what their individual responsibilities are.

The gap between having an IPC policy and having a workforce that applies IPC principles consistently is, in most cases, a training and culture gap. Complacency, the assumption that familiar practice is safe practice, is one of the most significant infection control risks in any setting. This course addresses both the knowledge and the attitude.

Infection Prevention and Control and the Care Certificate

Infection Prevention and Control is Care Certificate Standard 15. Any care worker completing the Care Certificate must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of IPC principles, including the chain of infection, hand hygiene, PPE use, and their responsibilities in preventing the spread of infection in their setting.

This course covers the knowledge requirements of Standard 15 in full and can be used to support Care Certificate assessment for new starters in health and social care. For a complete overview of the Care Certificate and how Prima Cura Training supports organisations to deliver and assess it, visit our Care Certificate UK Guide.

What You Will Learn

By the end of the session, learners will be able to:

  • Explain the chain of infection and describe how each link in the chain can be broken to prevent transmission
  • Recognise common sources of infection in their working environment and understand the routes by which infection spreads
  • Apply standard infection control precautions consistently and understand why they apply to all individuals regardless of known infection status
  • Perform correct hand hygiene technique including the six-step WHO handwashing method, understanding when to wash hands and when alcohol hand gel is and is not appropriate
  • Don and doff PPE in the correct sequence to prevent self-contamination and cross-contamination between individuals and tasks
  • Select appropriate PPE for different tasks and understand why wearing PPE incorrectly or inappropriately provides no meaningful protection
  • Understand the role of environmental cleaning, decontamination, and safe waste disposal in breaking the chain of infection
  • Recognise the signs that infection control practice in their setting may be inadequate and know how to escalate concerns
  • Understand their individual responsibilities under the organisation’s IPC policy and the legal framework that underpins it
  • Challenge complacency in their own practice and in the practice of colleagues

Course Content

Content is adapted to your sector, your working environment, and the specific infection risks most relevant to your team. Topics covered include:

  • Introduction to infection prevention and control
  • The chain of infection
  • Routes of transmission
  • Standard infection control precautions
  • Hand hygiene
  • PPE: selection, correct donning sequence, correct doffing sequence
  • Complacency in infection control
  • Environmental hygiene
  • Waste disposal: clinical waste, sharps, and safe disposal procedures
  • Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette
  • Outbreak management awareness
  • IPC responsibilities: individual, organisational, and regulatory, including CQC Regulation 12 and the UKHSA NIPCM standards

How the Course Is Delivered

Sessions are practical, discussion-based, and built around the real infection control challenges staff face in their working environment. The aim is a genuine understanding of how and why IPC measures work, not memorisation of rules that fade when nobody is watching. Delivery includes:

  • Practical demonstration and practice of correct hand hygiene technique and PPE donning and doffing sequence
  • Direct discussion of the specific PPE errors that cause self-contamination and cross-contamination, including the common habits that staff do not realise are dangerous
  • Scenario-based work covering the infection control decisions staff face in everyday practice
  • Honest discussion of complacency, including why it develops, what it costs, and how to recognise it in yourself and others
  • Review of your organisation’s IPC policy, PPE provision, and cleaning procedures, where relevant
  • Time for questions, because IPC consistently generates them once staff start examining their own practice honestly

Certification and Validity

On completion, learners receive a CPD-accredited certificate of achievement in Infection Prevention and Control.

A refresher is recommended every 1 to 2 years, depending on sector, workplace risk, and regulatory expectations. The UKHSA recommends annual IPC training for health and social care staff, and for any setting supporting vulnerable individuals. Annual refreshers are strongly advisable and should be treated as part of mandatory training rather than optional CPD. Refresher training should also be arranged sooner following any IPC-related incident or outbreak, significant changes to working procedures or PPE provision, or where CQC inspection feedback identifies gaps in IPC practice.

In-House and Bespoke Training

We adapt every session to your organisation, your sector, and the specific infection risks most relevant to your team.

We can build content around:

  • Your specific working environment and the infection risks most likely to affect your staff and the individuals you support
  • Your IPC policy, PPE provision, cleaning schedules, and outbreak management procedures
  • Care settings supporting individuals with specific infection vulnerabilities, including immunocompromised individuals, older adults, and those with chronic health conditions
  • Teams where complacency or inconsistent practice has been identified through supervision, audit, or inspection
  • Combined delivery with Health and Safety Awareness, Food Hygiene Awareness, or Safeguarding Adults for a broader compliance programme

Course Location and Service Areas

We deliver in-house training at your workplace or chosen venue across Manchester, Greater Manchester, and the wider North West. We also deliver nationally across England, including North England, South England, London, and Surrey.

For teams in multiple locations or with remote workers, this course is available live online via Zoom or Microsoft Teams, or via eLearning where flexible self-paced completion is needed.

All sessions are led by experienced Prima Cura Training instructors. Every trainer holds an Enhanced DBS certificate.

FAQs

Is infection prevention and control training a legal requirement?

Yes, in practice. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the COSHH Regulations 2002, employers must assess and control risks from biological agents, including infectious microorganisms, and ensure staff receive appropriate information and training. For regulated care providers, CQC Regulation 12 places a direct duty to prevent and control the spread of infection. A setting that cannot demonstrate staff have received adequate IPC training is non-compliant.

Why does the sequence of PPE donning and doffing matter?

The sequence matters because removing PPE incorrectly is one of the most common routes of self-contamination. If gloves are removed in a way that touches their outer surface, or if an apron is pulled off in a way that allows the contaminated outer surface to contact clothing or skin, the protection the PPE was meant to provide is undone. This course covers correct donning and doffing sequence in practical detail, including the specific errors that are most commonly observed in care settings and why each one creates risk.

How often should IPC training be refreshed?

Every 1 to 2 years as a standard recommendation, depending on sector and workplace risk. The UKHSA recommends annual IPC training for health and social care staff. For settings supporting vulnerable individuals, annual refreshers are strongly advisable and should be treated as part of mandatory training rather than optional CPD. Refreshers should also be arranged following any outbreak, significant changes to PPE or cleaning procedures, or where inspection feedback identifies IPC gaps.

What is the UKHSA National Infection Prevention and Control Manual?

The NIPCM is the definitive national guidance on IPC practice for health and social care in England, published and maintained by the UK Health Security Agency. It sets the standard precautions that all healthcare and social care staff must apply and covers hand hygiene, PPE, environmental cleaning, safe management of care equipment, and the management of specific infectious agents. This course is built around its principles and recommendations.

Related Courses

Book or Enquire

To book Infection Prevention and Control Training or request a quote for your team, use the enquiry form on this page or contact us directly.

Our Commitment to Quality and Compliance

At Prima Cura Training, all courses reflect current UK guidance and best practice.

All trainers are experienced professionals with relevant qualifications and ongoing CPD. Because many of the organisations we support work with vulnerable individuals, all trainers hold Enhanced DBS checks.

This course is reviewed against updates from the UK Health Security Agency, NICE, the Care Quality Commission, and current UK legislation, including the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. Course content aligns with the UKHSA National Infection Prevention and Control Manual for England and NICE guideline NG202.

You can read more on our Quality Assurance and Compliance page.

Reviewed by Stephanie Austin, Owner and Lead Trainer, Prima Cura Training 25+ years in health and social care | 15+ years as a trainer Last reviewed: April 2026 | Next review: April 2027

This page is for general guidance only and reflects current UK legislation, UKHSA guidance, and NICE guidelines at the date of review. It does not constitute clinical, legal, or regulatory advice. Infection Prevention and Control Training is an awareness-level course and does not replace organisation-specific IPC policies, outbreak management plans, or the regulatory obligations placed on providers under CQC Regulation 12, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. Employers remain responsible for ensuring their IPC arrangements, PPE provision, environmental hygiene procedures, and staff training comply with all applicable legislation, UKHSA guidance, and CQC expectations.

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