IPC services and pandemic preparedness plans during COVID-19
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation of the implementation of pandemic preparedness plans during COVID-19 at the interface with infection prevention and control (IPC) services in acute and community care
IRAS ID
296173
Contact name
Heather Loveday
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of West London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 5 days
Research summary
This study aims to understand and learn critical lessons from the challenges faced by Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) services in respect of their role in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. The role of IPC services within hospitals and community health settings is to prevent the harms caused by infection to patients and healthcare workers. As COVID-19 is a new virus, people have no protection (immunity) and at the start of the pandemic there was also no vaccine. This created unique challenges for how IPC services prevented its spread in health and social care settings. All healthcare settings are required to have pandemic preparedness plans (PPP) which draw on learning from previous outbreaks of severe infections, such as pandemic influenza. These plans are designed to ensure that essential services are maintained, and that demands for isolation, specialist beds, and workforce shortages are managed. Previous research looking at how PPP worked during outbreaks has identified they are not always fit-for-purpose and may not have worked as intended in the COVID-19 pandemic.
We will undertake the study in two phases. Phase 1a) reviewing key documents published by government bodies and key advisory groups, and 1b) a national survey of IPC service leaders. Phase 2 will be informed by Phase 1 and will include an in-depth look at six to eight local healthcare systems (case studies) including interviews with key informants such as chief executives, IPC directors, GPs, and service users. We will also collect information on for example, numbers of healthcare associated infections, staff sickness, and other COVID-19 relevant communications. The results will provide health and social care decision makers (at national and local levels) with greater clarity of the role of IPC services in PPP and how to ensure PPP fits the wider heath and care system.
REC name
South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/SW/0011
Date of REC Opinion
20 Jan 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion