National infection prevention and control manual for England – appendices

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The National infection prevention and control manual (NIPCM) has been adapted from the Scottish NIPCM as national standards, to be measured by the regulators. The NIPCM is used to support and facilitate healthcare providers to demonstrate compliance with the ten criteria of the ‘Health and Social Care Act 2008, Code of practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance.

The NIPCM aims to provide an evidence-based practice manual that should be adopted as guidance in NHS settings and ensure a consistent UK wide approach to infection prevention and control.

The appendices below depict best practice techniques as well as detailed aide memoires for optimal patient placement and respiratory protective equipment.

Contents

  1. Appendix 1
  2. Appendix 2
  3. Appendix 3
  4. Appendix 4
  5. Appendix 5
  6. Appendix 6
  7. Appendix 7
  8. Appendix 8
  9. Appendix 9
  10. Appendix 10
  11. Appendix 11
  12. Appendix 12

Appendix 1

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Appendix 1: Best practice – how to hand wash, step-by-step

Appendix 1: Best practice – how to hand wash, step-by-step

  • PDF
  • 133 KB
  • 1 pages

Summary

A UK Health Security Agency leaflet that describes in images best practice hand washing.

Updated July 2026.

Appendix 2

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Appendix 2: Best practice – how to hand rub, step-by-step

Appendix 2: Best practice – how to hand rub, step-by-step

  • PDF
  • 421 KB
  • 2 pages

Summary

A UK Health Security Agency leaflet, showing in images how to handrub.

Updated July 2026.

Appendix 3

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Appendix 3: Best practice – surgical hand antisepsis using antimicrobial soap

Appendix 3: Best practice – surgical hand antisepsis using antimicrobial soap

  • PDF
  • 189 KB
  • 1 pages

Summary

Diagram showing surgical hand antisepsis using antimicrobial soap.

Updated July 2026.

Appendix 4

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Appendix 4: Best practice – surgical hand rub technique using alcohol based hand rub (ABHR)

Appendix 4: Best practice – surgical hand rub technique using alcohol based hand rub (ABHR)

  • PDF
  • 243 KB
  • 2 pages

Summary

Hand rubbing technique for surgical hand preparation.

Updated July 2026.

Appendix 5

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Appendix 5a: Personal protective equipment (PPE) when applying standard infection control precautions (SICPs)

Appendix 5a: Personal protective equipment (PPE) when applying standard infection control precautions (SICPs)

  • PDF
  • 401 KB
  • 1 pages

Document

Appendix 5b: Personal protective equipment (PPE) when applying transmission based precautions (TBPs)

Appendix 5b: Personal protective equipment (PPE) when applying transmission based precautions (TBPs)

  • PDF
  • 159 KB
  • 1 pages

Summary

Updated March 2026.

Appendix 6

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Appendix 6: Putting on and removing personal protective equipment (PPE)

Appendix 6: Putting on and removing personal protective equipment (PPE)

  • PDF
  • 7 MB
  • 2 pages

Summary

An NHS leaflet showing how to put on and take off PPE.

Updated July 2025.

Appendix 7

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Appendix 7: Best practice – decontamination of reusable non-invasive care equipment

Appendix 7: Best practice – decontamination of reusable non-invasive care equipment

  • PDF
  • 424 KB
  • 1 pages

Summary

A flow diagram to show the decontamination of reusable non-invasive care equipment

Appendix 8

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Appendix 8: Best practice – linen bagging and tagging

Appendix 8: Best practice – linen bagging and tagging

  • PDF
  • 1 MB
  • 1 pages

Summary

A diagram to show the different categories of used linen and how to bag them.

Appendix 9

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Appendix 9: Best practice – management of blood and body fluid spills

Appendix 9: Best practice – management of blood and body fluid spills

  • PDF
  • 420 KB
  • 1 pages

Summary

A flow diagram to show the process and management of blood and body fluid spills

Appendix 10

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Appendix 10: Management of occupational exposure incidents

Appendix 10: Management of occupational exposure incidents

  • PDF
  • 468 KB
  • 1 pages

Summary

A flow diagram to show the management of occupational exposure incidents.

Updated March 2026.

Appendix 11

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Appendix 11: Aide memoire for optimal patient placement and respiratory protective equipment (RPE) for infectious agents in hospital inpatients (based on evidence from WHO, CDC and UKHSA)

Appendix 11: Aide memoire for optimal patient placement and respiratory protective equipment (RPE) for infectious agents in hospital inpatients (based on evidence from WHO, CDC and UKHSA)

  • PDF
  • 616 KB
  • 12 pages

Summary

This table outlines the transmission-based precautions required for several infectious agents/diseases which will minimise cross transmission events from and between patients, and healthcare workers. The details included in the table are drawn from published evidence from a number of validated sources, for example, WHO, CDC, and UKHSA.

Updated March 2026.

Appendix 12

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Appendix 12: Transmission based precautions for deceased patients with infection

Appendix 12: Transmission based precautions for deceased patients with infection

  • PDF
  • 171 KB
  • 3 pages

Summary

The principles of standard infection control precautions and transmission based precautions continue to apply while deceased individuals remain in the care environment. This is due to the ongoing risk of infectious transmission via contact although the risk is usually lower than for living patients. This table details the additional precautions which may be required depending on the organism and activities carried out.

Updated July 2025.