Level 2 Award in Decontamination in Health and Social Care Settings
This qualification is designed for support staff and, where appropriate, managers in primary and community care settings who require a grounding in the principles of maintaining a clean environment, infection control and decontamination. Such settings may be care homes, day centres, intermediate care facilities, child care and play facilities, GP surgeries and health centres, dental surgeries and podiatry and other clinics.
The control of infection in care environments is a major concern for the NHS and the wider care sector. The Chief Medical Officer has referred to the 5,000 patients (minimum) who die each year as a direct consequence of healthcare-associated infection in the UK and the need for improvement of these statistics.
Holders of this qualification will have a basic understanding of the principles of
decontamination and the importance of their application in relation to care settings. This includes: knowledge of the important infections associated with care settings and how these infections are spread; the importance of correct hand-washing procedures in the prevention of cross-infection; the importance of maintaining a clean and microbiologically safe environment; the decontamination process including risk assessment; and principles for the use of Personal Protective Equipment and Standard (Universal) Precautions.
This course is usually delivered over one day, and assessment consists of one 45 minute examination containing 30 multiple choice questions.
Factsheet: Level 2 Award in Decontamination in Health and Social Care Settings
Reading List: Level 2 Award in Decontamination in Health and Social Care Settings
