Plain-English explanations of the technical terms and legislation used in this document.
- Aerosol generating procedure (AGP)
- A medical procedure that can create fine airborne droplets capable of carrying infection, needing extra respiratory protection.
- Anaphylaxis
- A severe, life-threatening allergic reaction needing immediate emergency treatment.
- Aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT)
- A standard way of carrying out a clinical procedure without touching the parts that must stay sterile, to prevent infection.
- Autoclave
- A machine that sterilises reusable instruments using pressurised steam.
- Blood-borne virus (BBV)
- An infection such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV that can be passed on through blood.
- Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- The independent regulator of health and social care services in England.
- Central sterile services department (CSSD)
- A specialist accredited facility that cleans, sterilises and supplies reusable medical instruments.
- Cold chain
- Keeping vaccines and certain medicines within a safe temperature range from delivery to use.
- Consignment note
- The legal record that tracks hazardous or clinical waste from the practice to its final disposal.
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
- The law for safely managing chemicals, biological agents and other hazardous substances at work.
- COVID-19
- An infectious respiratory disease caused by a coronavirus, which can spread through the air.
- Decontamination
- The combined process of cleaning, disinfecting and, where needed, sterilising equipment so it is safe to reuse.
- Exposure-prone procedure (EPP)
- A clinical procedure where a worker's blood could come into contact with a patient's open tissue, carrying a risk of passing on infection.
- FFP3 respirator
- A tightly fitted face mask that filters out fine airborne particles, used where there is a high risk of airborne infection.
- Fit testing
- A check that a particular tight-fitting respirator forms a proper seal on the individual wearer's face.
- Fundamental standards
- The minimum standards of safety and quality below which care must never fall.
- Health Building Note (HBN)
- Official design guidance for healthcare buildings and facilities, including clinical hand wash basins.
- Health Protection Team
- The local public health team that helps services respond to outbreaks and notifiable infections.
- Health Technical Memorandum (HTM)
- Official technical guidance on the design, safety and management of healthcare facilities, equipment and waste.
- Healthcare associated infection (HCAI)
- An infection a person catches as a result of receiving healthcare rather than from their original illness.
- Hepatitis B / hepatitis C
- Viral infections of the liver that can be passed on through blood and other body fluids.
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- A blood-borne virus that weakens the immune system if left untreated.
- Hygiene Code
- The statutory code of practice setting out how providers must prevent and control infection, used by the Care Quality Commission to judge infection control.
- Infection prevention and control (IPC)
- The measures used to stop infection spreading between patients, staff and visitors.
- Inoculation injury
- An injury, such as a needlestick or splash, that could expose a person to infection in blood or body fluids.
- Legionella
- Bacteria that can grow in water systems and cause a serious form of pneumonia if inhaled in fine spray.
- Locum
- A clinician who works temporarily to cover for regular staff.
- National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM)
- The national manual setting the standard infection control practices that healthcare services in England must follow.
- Near miss
- An event that could have caused harm but did not, by chance or because it was caught in time.
- Notifiable infection
- An infection that the law requires to be reported to public health authorities.
- Occupational health
- The service that looks after the health and wellbeing of staff at work, including after exposures and injuries.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Items such as gloves, aprons and masks worn to protect against harm or infection.
- Phlebotomy
- The taking of blood samples from patients.
- Registered Manager
- The person registered with the regulator as responsible for the day-to-day running of a service.
- Regulated activity
- A type of care or treatment the law requires a provider to register with the regulator to deliver.
- Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)
- The law requiring certain workplace injuries, diseases and dangerous events to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive.
- Residual risk
- The level of risk that remains once the existing controls are taken into account.
- Risk assessment
- A structured check identifying what could cause harm and what is being done to prevent it.
- Safeguarding
- Protecting people's health, wellbeing and rights and keeping them safe from abuse, harm or neglect.
- Sharps
- Needles, blades and other items that can cut or puncture the skin.
- Significant event analysis
- A structured review of an incident to learn from it and improve care.
- Single assessment framework
- The structure the regulator uses to judge a service, built around quality statements and five key questions (safe, effective, caring, responsive, well-led).
- Standard infection control precautions (SICPs)
- The basic infection control measures used for every patient at all times, such as hand hygiene and personal protective equipment.
- Standard operating procedure (SOP)
- A written, step-by-step instruction setting out how a particular task must be carried out.
- Thermostatic mixing valve (TMV)
- A valve that blends hot and cold water to a safe temperature at the tap to prevent scalding.
- Transmission based precautions (TBPs)
- Extra infection control measures used on top of the basics when a patient has, or may have, a particular infection.
- Triage
- Sorting and prioritising patients according to the urgency and nature of their needs.
- Tuberculosis (TB)
- A bacterial infection that mainly affects the lungs and can spread through the air.
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
- The national body responsible for protecting the public from infectious diseases and other health threats.
- UN3291 / UN3373
- International packaging standards for safely transporting clinical waste (UN3291) and biological specimens (UN3373).
- World Health Organization (WHO) 5 Moments for hand hygiene
- An internationally recognised set of five key points during care at which staff should clean their hands.