RCN demands greater clarity on infection prevention and control

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has allied with the Infection Prevention Society to raise concerns about the impact of fragmentation on infection prevention and control arrangements within England's health service.

A joint paper published by the organisations has suggested that current arrangements have become overly complex due to the recent restructuring of NHS services and the transfer of responsibilities following the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

As such, some specialist infection control expertise has been lost, with a lack of central oversight of the situation proving especially problematic as the threat of antimicrobial resistance increases.

The paper therefore called for measures such as new specialist guidance, formal processes and support systems to be put in place to address the problem.

Rose Gallagher, the RCN's professional lead on infection prevention and control, said: "While some progress has been made in simplifying regulatory systems, patients still need to know that this is high on the agendas of those who plan our health system for the future."

This is a pressing issue given the widespread acknowledgement that antimicrobial resistance poses a severe threat to public health worldwide.