Infection control in the United Kingdom

Most large acute hospitals have an infection control team, consisting of the infection control officier and nurse, which is responsible for day-to-day control of infection. The infection control officier is usually the medical microbiologist, a physician in charge of the microbiology laboratory, who is responsible to the Health Authority for control of infection. The team responsibilities usually include smaller hospitals, and long-term as well as acute-care facilities in each District. The infection control nurse is the only member of staff involved full-time in infection control. The infection control committee consists of managers of relevant departments, e.g. domestic, pharmacy, as well as infection control nursing and medical representatives, and usually meets 4-6 times a year. Advice or assistance is also available from national organisations, e.g. the Department of Health, the Communicable Diseases Surveillance Centre, reference laboratories and professional organisations such as the Hospital Infection Society, Infection Control Nurses Association and Central Sterilising Club.