Allied health employees in residential aged care must comply with the facility's infection prevention and control standards. They should be trained in aseptic methods and infection control relevant to their role.

Standard Precautions

Hand hygiene, as per the '5 Moments of Hand Hygiene' principles, must be performed before and after touching any residents 

Appropriate personal protective equipment must be worn when high-risk procedures are undertaken

Residents Receiving Wound Care

Infected wounds must be sealed with an impermeable dressing wherever possible during treatment from allied health employees

Contaminated dressings must only be handled with forceps or disposable gloves

If there are any concerns regarding wound coverings,  discuss this with the nurse providing care to the resident

Equipment Cleaning

All physiotherapy, occupational, or diversional therapy equipment must be washed with neutral detergent and dried thoroughly.

All equipment should be cleaned after a resident has used it, and

After each use 

Between resident uses 

After use in the community and returned to the residential aged care facility

When visibly soiled

Before being returned to the equipment provider

Storage

Equipment must be stored off the floor where possible

Storage rooms must be kept clean and dust free

Physiotherapists

Physiotherapists must adhere to standard precautions at all times

Physiotherapists must ensure all equipment is cleaned thoroughly after use, decontaminated according to current guidelines and regulations relating to infection control standards

Podiatry Services 

Podiatry services must adhere to standard precautions at all times

Podiatry services must ensure a clean set of instruments is used for each resident

All instruments must be cleaned thoroughly after use and then sterilised according to current infection control standards

Particulate masks (P2/N95) must be worn when carrying out grinding procedures to reduce the risk of fungal spore inhalation

Services which include food preparation activities

Activities requiring residents to prepare food must ensure hand hygiene practices are adhered to by employees and residents 

Strict attention must be paid to hand hygiene before the preparation of food

All required food safety recommendations should be adhered to