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Preventing infection in social care settings
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Potential infection risks
Washing and dressing, household tasks, foot care, oral and eye care

Please update your RDS mobile app to version 4.7.1

We are pleased to advise that deep linking capability, enabling users to directly download individual mobile toolkits, has now been released on the RDS mobile app. When you install the update, you will see that each toolkit has a small QR code icon the header area beside the search icon – see screenshot below. Clicking on this icon will open up a window with a full-size QR code and the alternative of a short URL for sharing with users. Instructions are provided.

You may need to actively install the update to install RDS app version 4.7.1 to see this improvement. Installing this update is also strongly recommended to get the full benefits of the new contingency arrangements – specifically, that if the RDS website should fail, you will still be able to download new mobile app toolkits.

To check your current RDS version, click on the three dots bottom right of the RDS app screen. This takes you to a “More” page where you will see the version number. To install latest updates:

On iPhones – go to the Apple store, click on your profile icon top right, scroll down to see the apps waiting to be updated and update the RDS app.

On Android phones – these can vary, but try going to the Google Play store, click on your profile icon top right, click on “Manage apps and device”, select and update the RDS app.

Please get in touch with ann.wales3@nhs.scot with any questions.

Washing and dressing, household tasks, foot care, oral and eye care

Preventing infection in social care settings

NHS Education for Scotland

Potential infection risk guideline

Many personal care tasks such as washing and dressing or household type work can bring you into contact with blood or body fluids; sharps; care equipment and the care environment which may present cross infection risks.

By following these Standard Infection Control Precautions you can minimise infection risks to others and yourself.

Scenario: Mrs. Chaponda does not like wearing her lower denture and removes them from her mouth, frequently leaving them on her bedside table.

What Standard Infection Control Precautions should I use?

For detailed instruction on how to apply these Standard Infection Control Precautions, please see the links below.

Do this

Personal protective equipment

Safe disposal of waste (including sharps)

Safe management of care equipment

Safe management of care environment

Consider this

Safe management of linen

Other factors

Resident/person placement

Safe management of blood and body fluid spillages

Respiratory and cough hygiene

Occupational safety: prevention and exposure management (including sharps)