IPC Training for Care Homes

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Training for Care Homes

CPD‑Accredited | CQC‑Aligned | Designed for Residential & Nursing Homes

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is a legal requirement in every care home. IPC training is mandatory for all health and social care workers, including both clinical and non-clinical staff. Effective infection control is essential for maintaining safe, compliant care environments.

This course provides care staff with the knowledge and practical skills needed to prevent infections, protect vulnerable residents, and meet the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections.

Care homes support people who are older, frail, or living with long-term conditions, making them more vulnerable to infection. Strong IPC practices are vital for resident safety, outbreak prevention, and maintaining CQC compliance.

Our level 2 infection control training course is suitable for: Care assistants, senior carers, nurses, team leaders, support workers, and anyone working in residential or nursing care homes.

You can explore other 190+ Care and Clinical Courses and all see available open courses for the month | 2-Day Infection Control Train the Trainer Course



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infection control & prevention training for care homes

This Infection Control Training for Care Homes covers the legislation, responsibilities, and practical measures required to prevent and control infection in adult social care settings.

It includes hand hygiene, PPE, chain of infection, and reducing Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) — all core elements of UK IPC guidance for care homes .

Learners gain practical skills they can apply immediately in day‑to‑day care tasks.

1. Legislation for Infection Prevention & Control in Care Homes

Staff explore the legal framework that governs infection control in adult social care, including:

  • Health and Social Care Act 2008: Code of Practice (CQC IPC requirements)
  • Employer duties to maintain safe IPC systems
  • Resident safety, cleanliness, and risk assessment expectations
  • How CQC inspects infection control in care homes

This ensures staff understand the legal duties placed on care providers and workers.

 

2. Employer & Employee Responsibilities

Care home staff review their responsibilities under UK IPC guidance, including:

  • Employer duties to provide training, PPE, and safe working practices
  • Employee responsibilities to follow IPC procedures and report risks
  • Everyone’s responsibility to prevent infection spread in care settings
  • Maintaining a clean, safe environment for residents

This section reinforces accountability and safe working culture.

 

3. What Is Infection Control & Prevention?

Learners explore:

  • The definition of infection prevention and control
  • Why IPC is essential in care homes
  • How IPC links to safeguarding, resident wellbeing, and CQC outcomes
  • Standard precautions used in adult social care settings
 

4. Chain of Infection & How Infection Spreads

Staff examine the six links in the chain of infection and how to break them, as outlined in adult social care IPC guidance :

  • Infectious agent
  • Reservoir
  • Portal of exit
  • Mode of transmission
  • Portal of entry
  • Susceptible host

We explore how infections spread in care homes through:

  • Direct and indirect contact
  • Poor hand hygiene
  • Contaminated equipment
  • Incorrect PPE use
  • Environmental contamination
 

5. PPE & Correct Hand Washing Techniques

This section follows UK guidance for care workers on PPE and hand hygiene :

  • When and how to use PPE (gloves, aprons, masks, eye protection)
  • Choosing the correct PPE for each task
  • Donning and doffing safely
  • WHO‑aligned handwashing technique
  • When to use soap and water vs alcohol‑based hand rub
  • Hand hygiene for staff and residents

Hand hygiene is emphasised as one of the most important ways to prevent infection spread in care homes.

 

6. Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) in Care Homes

Staff learn about:

  • What HAIs are and why they occur
  • Common infections in care homes (UTIs, respiratory infections, MRSA, C. difficile, norovirus)
  • Cleaning, decontamination, and waste disposal
  • Isolation and outbreak management
  • Reducing infection risks for vulnerable residents

This section aligns with adult social care IPC resources on preventing transmission and managing infection risks

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

  • Understand UK legislation and CQC requirements for infection control
  • Explain employer and employee responsibilities
  • Define infection prevention and control in care homes
  • Describe the chain of infection and how to break it
  • Use PPE correctly and safely
  • Demonstrate correct handwashing techniques
  • Identify common HAIs and how to reduce risks
  • Apply IPC measures confidently in daily care tasks

  • Duration: Half‑day (3 hours)
  • Delivery: At your care home or at one of our UK venues
  • Certification: CPD‑accredited
  • Assessment: Trainer observation
  • Group Size: Up to 12 learners

Care homes must follow the Code of Practice on Infection Prevention and Control and maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene to keep residents safe and meet CQC expectations .

This course ensures your team:

  • Understands how infection spreads in care homes
  • Knows how to protect residents and colleagues
  • Can confidently follow IPC procedures
  • Supports your service to remain compliant and safe

Group Booking Only

We come to your care home and train up to 12 staff on a date that suits you.

Onsite training means your team learns in their real working environment, with scenarios tailored to your residents, routines, and infection risks. It’s cost‑effective, reduces staff travel, and causes minimal disruption to your service.

You can pair Infection Control Training with another half‑day course such as Health & Safety Awareness, Food Hygiene Level 2, Moving & Handling of People, or Medication Awareness, allowing your team to build a full day of essential care‑home training while saving 40% when both sessions are delivered onsite on the same day.


mandatory training for carers, nurses and hca

IPC Course FAQs

This course is designed specifically for care home staff, including care assistants, senior carers, support workers, nurses, team leaders, and anyone involved in resident care or housekeeping within residential or nursing homes.

Yes. Care homes must comply with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice on Infection Prevention and Control. Staff must receive appropriate IPC training to meet CQC requirements and maintain a safe environment for residents.

Onsite training allows your team to learn in their real working environment, using examples tailored to your residents, layout, and infection risks.

It reduces staff travel, minimises disruption, and ensures the training is practical, relevant, and immediately applicable.

The course is delivered as a half‑day session (approximately 3 hours), making it easy to fit around shift patterns while still providing comprehensive, practical learning.

Up to 12 staff members can attend each group session. Larger teams can book multiple sessions on the same day if needed.

Yes. Staff learn how to select, use, and dispose of PPE correctly, as well as how to perform effective handwashing using WHO‑aligned techniques — two of the most important measures for preventing infection in care homes.

Absolutely. The course explains the six links in the chain of infection and how care home staff can break each link to stop infections spreading between residents, staff, and visitors.

Yes. The course covers common HAIs in care homes — such as UTIs, MRSA, C. difficile, norovirus, and respiratory infections — and how to reduce the risk of outbreaks.

Yes. Our trainers adapt the session to your resident group, environment, infection risks, and policies, ensuring the content is directly relevant to your service.

Simply contact us to arrange a group booking. We’ll agree a date that suits your rota and deliver the training onsite for up to 12 staff. You can also pair this with another half‑day course to save 40% when both sessions are delivered at the same venue on the same day.

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