Infection Control Policies Analysis

Introduction

Infection control is referred to the discipline of healthcare which is concerned with prevention of health-related or nosocomial infection and it is a practical and not academic sub-disciple of epidemiology. It is often less recognised and rarely supported in an attentive manner even being a key part of the healthcare procedure. In this essay, theoretical concept and related principle of health promotion are to be linked while analysing the infection control policies. Moreover, the role of economic, social and public policies in sharing health promotion of infection control policies in developed (UK) and developing (Uganda) countries is to be discussed, alongside the importance of resources like healthcare dissertation help for effective policy formulation.

Rationale for selecting infection control policy

The topic of infection control policy is chosen because in many developing countries such as Uganda it is seen that general lack of prevention techniques of infection results in deteriorated health condition of many people while accessing care in the hospitals. This is evident from the research executed in a large hospital in Uganda where it is informed that the prevalence of hospital-acquired infection was 34% in 2010 among patients (Ogwang et al. 2013). Further, in sub-Saharan Africa, it is informed that nosocomial infection amount to 49% among patients accessing care in the ICUs (Mbim et al. 2016). The issues require more focus because the healthcare-associated infection is not only confined to the developing countries but also have extensively expanded in the developed countries due to which many patients are facing lower healthcare condition even after receiving updated healthcare. It is evident as in the UK it is reported that an estimation of 300,000 patients every year in England acquire healthcare-associated infection while accessing care services in the NHS due to lack of proper infection control procedures during care. The most common nature of infection is respiratory infection (17.2%) which is followed by urinary tract infection (22.8%) and surgical site infection (15.7%) (NICE, 2015). Moreover, in the US, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also informs that in their country 1 in every 31 patients in the hospital acquires healthcare-associated infection due to lack of proper prevention procedure to avoid transmission of infection during care (CDC, 2018). Therefore, serious intervention and knowledge of the infection control policies are required to be discussed so that effective steps can be taken to prevent healthcare-associated or nosocomial infection in both the developed and developing countries.

Theoretical aspect and principle of Health Promotion

The Health promotion is referred to the process of allowing people for improving their control over health through health literacy, good governance and good social conditions (Vedanthan et al. 2016). The healthcare policies are linked with effective health promotion as they offer guidelines and principles to create health education and good governance regarding specific health issues which are keys to promoting health.

Tannahill’s Model

The Tannahill Health Promotion model has three key aspects which are positive health education, prevention and health protection. According to the model, positive health education creates health promotion because communication of health literacy leads to develop improved knowledge and attitudes regarding the way to cope health issues, in turn, enhancing well-being and accomplishment to prevent diseases (Bowden, 2016). The infection control policy made by the NHS, UK informs detail guidelines and information regarding ways to maintain hand hygiene, aseptic techniques as well as environmental cleanliness (www.documents.hps.scot.nhs.uk, 2012). Thus, it can be linked with positive health education as it offers proper and positive literacy to the individuals regarding the way to control their activities to prevent transfer of microorganisms to affect the patient to cause infection. The Tannahill model informs that prevention refers to reduction or avoiding risks of ill health and diseases (Raingruber, 2016). The infection control policies or NHS, UK can be linked with prevention required for health promotion because the policy guidelines offer adequate information regarding the actions to be performed and not to be performed to prevent and control any infection. The health protection is referred to safeguarding of public health through financial, social or legislative measures (Hollar Jr and Rowland, 2015). The health protection can be accomplished through infection control policies of the NHS, UK as they offer information about the legislative measures to be followed such as Management of Health and Safety at Work 2006, RIDDOR 2013 and others for protecting health (www.qcs.co.uk, 2014). The Beattie’s Health Promotion model informs four key activities to be followed which are personal counselling, health persuasion, legislative actions and community development. The personal counselling is referred to the process through which the health practitioners by analysing the patients determine the way care is to be given to them (Harvey et al. 2018). The infection control policies of the NHS, UK mentions health practitioners when to choose and apply specific guidance provided. Thus, it motivates the health practitioners to execute counselling of the patients to determine which specific guidance to be followed for them to prevent infection. This is because without analysing the patient the health practitioners would be unable to know which specific infection control technique is to be applied as suggested by the NHS to prevent infection (www.rdehospital.nhs.uk, 2015).

The health persuasion is executed by providing message to reshape or reinforce responses towards health (Compton et al. 2016). The infection control policies of the NHS, UK offers influential ideas regarding the way to control infection which persuade the health practitioners to accept them to implement them into practice (www.infectionpreventioncontrol.co.uk, 2018). This is because the ideas lead the health practitioners to understand the way it can create improvement creating influence over them to implement it. The legislative actions are the laws developed which are implemented to ensure better health. The infection control policies of the NHS, UK informs about various legislations such as RIDDOR 2013, Management of Health and Safety at Work 2006 and others to be followed to take steps to prevent infection (www.qcs.co.uk, 2014). Thus, the policies can be linked to create effective health promotion for infection control as they inform about the legislative actions to be abided by for accomplishing the purpose. The infection control policies of the NHS, UK inform ways to maintain environmental cleanliness in the hospital and healthcare surroundings (www.infectionpreventioncontrol.co.uk, 2018). Thus, they can be linked to create community development as the guidelines regarding environmental cleanliness suggest ways to the community to implement actions for their better development so that transmission of infection can be minimised to ensure it is effectively controlled from spreading.

Diffusion of Innovation Theory

The Diffusion of innovations is referred to the theory which explains how, why and in which rate the new technology and ideas are communicated to the individuals. The four key element which influences spreading of a new idea is innovation, proper use of communication channels, time and use of an appropriate social system (Zhang et al. 2015). Thus, effectively meeting the four elements would lead to proper communication and acceptance of the new ideas. According to the theory, the new ideas or innovation required to be widely accepted for its self-sustenance (Birken et al. 2015). This is because without wide acceptance of the new idea it would lead others to question its success to be put into practice. In relation to infection control policies of NHS, UK; it is seen that few people have readily accepted it while other being conservative as they question the success of controlling infection through the implication of the mentioned ideas in the policy. The theory informs that proper channels of communication are required for effectively spreading and accepting a new idea (East and Havard, 2015). This is because the communication channels act as the way of transmission of the information to target audience for successfully spreading of the news. It is seen that some people have readily accepted the infection control policies of the NHS, UK to be put into practice whereas others being more conservation may be because they have not been able to receive proper news regarding the policy. Thus, the communication channels used for spreading the information about the policies may not be efficiently used due to which still increased numbers of healthcare-associated infection are faced by the people in the UK. The use of proper social system in diffusion of innovation is required because once the social system is convinced by the efficiency of the idea they add their own strength to influence many others to adopt the decision, in turn, improving rate of diffusion (Hadorn et al. 2016). Thus, the infection control policy of the NHS, UK may not be readily accepted to be put into practice by many health professionals because it has not been informed by using proper social system in a timely manner.

Discussing the role of social, economic and public policies in shaping health promotion in the UK

Social Policy

The social policy informs ways in which societies across the countries meet the needs of education, work, security, health and well-being. They are able to have the potential for shaping health promotion by differentially distributing health literacy to different population groups (Garg et al. 2016). The residential segregation is referred to the physical partition of races through enforced residence in different areas which is a powerful instance of social policy (Wizemann, 2014). As mentioned by Harris (2017), residential segregation results to create constraints for practice of similar modes of health promotion in all places. This is because different races have different ways and preferences for accepting health literacy given through health promotion to ensure its success. The residential segregation social policy has a great influence in shaping health promotion in the UK because many black and ethnic races are seen to live in highly segregated patterns in the country which informs that health promotion for each area is to be shaped based on the preferences and understanding of language by the races living in the place (www.theguardian.com, 2016). For example, a health promotion campaign arranged for informing infection control policy in an area where Asian individual live needs to consider the use of their mother tongue apart from English to communicate with them. This is because English is not usually the first language of the Asians which if used in health promotion would lead the individual unable to understand the facts presented creating hindrance for the success of the promotion. (Refer to Appendix 1)

Economic Policy

The key role of economic policy related to health is setting of budgets to arrange healthcare services for the individuals (World Health Organization, 2015). This is because without proper financial expenditure being arranged effective health promotion cannot be established as resources required for executing the promotion cannot be available. In the UK, the economic policy of the government ensures allocation of considerable amount of finances for the public through the NHS to be used for promotion of health to resolve various health issues. The money is mainly made available through tax payments and dispersed through the NHS (National Health Services). This is evident as the government plans to spend £60 million for reducing infection in hospitals through NHS who are working with better progress to control infection (www.gov.uk, 2016). Moreover, it is seen that 79.4% of the total expenditure on health is borne by the UK government for various healthcare and promotion purposes (www.ons.gov.uk, 2016). Thus, the economic assistance through policy is helpful for the NHS, UK to have adequate finances to arrange effective health promotion campaign regarding infection control for the public without asking for money from the population in shaping such promotion.

Public Policy

The public policy refers to the vast nature of regulatory measures, law, course of action, and other set by the government to ensure proper administration (Milton and Bauman, 2015). In the UK, the public policies are seen to create as well as regulate and maintain healthcare services through NHS which is the body that fosters supportive environment for shaping good health through proper health promotion (Milton and Grix, 2015). The public policies in developed countries play a major role in regulating the resources required to shape health promotion regarding health issues. In the UK, the public policy allocates the NHS to plays a major regulatory role in arranging accessibility of resources that are required for planning any health promotion in an effective way. It has helped to avoid shaping of the promotional campaigns in an irrelevant way thus leading to arrange proper presence of communication channel and other resources required for success of the promotion. The public policies in the UK are seen to set specific mandatory factors that are to be covered through health promotion for its proper shaping which would influence the health of the people in a better way (Watt et al. 2016). Thus, it helps to efficiently ensure that the health promotions are set in a legal and ethical way without violation of any rules. The public policies in the UK entrust the NHS to arrange health promotion programs for the nations to ensure better health development. This is evident as the NHS according to the public policy is seen to have played the role of forming “Getting It Right the First Time” program to take steps in reducing E.coli infection in the hospital and other healthcare centres (www.gov.uk, 2016). It acts to shape an effective and well-informed health promotion in the UK. This is because the government allocates best experiences individuals for such promotion who have adequate knowledge regarding the way to efficiently shape the promotion so that it can create country-wide influence on the public to ensure better health condition. (Refer to Appendix 1)

Discussion role of social, economic and public policies in shaping health promotion in Uganda

Social Policy

The social policy of Uganda has the role of providing social protection interventions for the public. This is evident as the Public Service Pension scheme, Social Care and Support Services, Public Works Programmes, Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment and others are being made under the policy who ensure proper finances and facilities are offered to the public for ensuring their proper living and health condition (socialprotection.go.ug, 2018). It has lead to shape the health promotion of infection control in the country to include information about the policies in the promotional activities to educate the public regarding them while arranging health campaigns. This is because information and awareness regarding such intervention are going to help the people in Uganda to understand the social services available for them to gain better health condition. The social policies in Uganda ensure that no discrimination among the people regarding any activities is caused and all have equal opportunity to avail any services (www.unicef.org, 2018). This role ensures that the health promotion regarding infection control and others in Uganda is to be performed in such a way so that equal health literary and awareness is received by all without any form of discrimination. (Refer to Appendix 2)

Economic Policy

The economic policy of Uganda is seen to offer finances for managing health in the country. However, they are not sufficient enough to meet the healthcare needs of different categories of population living in the country. This has resulted to create expensive yet ineffective healthcare process for the public (www.unicef.org, 2018). They have also influenced the health promotion regarding infection control and other diseases to be made in a hindered manner that did not offer proper health literacy and awareness to the public. The economic policy of Uganda does not bear all the health expenditures of the people and most of the healthcare costs are borne by households. Moreover, they offer little finances for the growth of the healthcare services as they do not have adequate finances to support investment in healthcare (www.unicef.org, 2018). This has previously resulted in facing lack of finances to efficiently shape any health promotion in Uganda creating hindrance in delivery of proper health literacy and awareness regarding the diseases in the country by the government. However, the issue is being resolved with intervention of the World Health Organisations (WHO) and other voluntary organisations who offer finances as well as frames health promotion campaign for the people of Uganda to aware regarding diseases and control of infection. Further, present economic policy statement under the Vision 2040 it is seen that the Ugandan government has arranged potential monetary investment for the healthcare purpose and promotion so that better health conditions within the country can be established (www.unicef.org, 2018). This has influenced the health promotion activities regarding infection control and other diseases in Uganda to get more financial support resulting in their successful shaping with proper availability of resources to create awareness and health literacy among the Ugandan people.

Public Policy

The National Health Policy of Uganda which is a public policy in relation to health promotion has the key objective to create health literacy and community awareness on disease prevention. They planned to execute it by promoting public involvement and participation in delivering healthcare and increasing utilisation as well as demand offered by the health sector of the country. In relation to this, they have the role of creating Village Health Teams (VHT) for the villages of Uganda who would be trained to reach health education regarding the households in the different villages within the country (health.go.ug, 2018). It would lead to shape the health promotion in the villages regarding any health issues such as infection control and others in a systematic way with involvement of trained professional who are well informed to effectively communicate with the public creating success for the promotion. In Uganda, under the National Health Policy the government have the role of creating increased media institutions that would be responsible for making programs to promote health (health.go.ug, 2018). It would shape the health promotion regarding infection control and other diseases to be able to reach wider number of people in an easier and informative way. This is because as the accomplishment of the role would create adequate availability of communication channels through which any institution can promote healthy activities in the country. (Refer to Appendix 2)

Comparing Strength and Weakness of the polices of UK and Uganda

In the UK, there are many individuals of different ethnicity, race and culture living in the society with one another apart from the White individuals who are native to the place. In this respect, the residential segregation which is part of the social policy in UK involved in shaping health promotion has the strength to aware individuals of all nature about health (Catney, 2018). This is because this policy indicates the promotion to be done on the basis of nature of communication and languages understood by particular group or community being targeted in the society. However, the weakness of the residential segregation social policy in the UK is that it leads to create discrimination as well as differential health promotion among individuals in the society. This is because the policy does not allow all individuals of different race and ethnicity to come together at the same time to develop awareness regarding health issues. Thus, it results in delay or less detailed health promotion for the ethnic communities living in the UK compared to the white individuals. In Uganda, the social policy does not implement residential segregation which acts strength for the country no discrimination arises during health promotion. This helps to provide equal awareness to all individuals regarding any health issues to make them develop preventive methods. The economic policy for health promotion in the UK indicates that most of the health expenditure is borne by the government through the NHS (Watterson, 2017). This act as strength for UK as the economic responsibility being mostly borne by the government helps the individuals living the country to get awareness regarding health and avail healthcare services in considerably low cost. However, in Uganda, it is seen that most of the health expenses are not borne by the government and the public investment is required to develop awareness regarding health (Ekane et al. 2016). This is weakness of economic policy for Uganda in promoting health because the public even being aware about the preventive methods to be taken up as educated in the health promotion could not do so as they do not have adequate amount of finances to execute them.

The public policy for health promotion in the UK is seen to have developed wide number of legislations and government funded health programs to assist the people (de Leeuw, 2017). This acts as strength for the UK as the legislation helps the health professional to work with more concern in promoting health in an effective so that they do not face legal charges as it may lead them to leave their profession permanently. It helps in establishing successful health promotion for all in the society. In comparison, in Uganda it is seen that the government arranges special health promotion programs indicated for poorer classes in the society (Esau et al. 2017). This is strength for the country as it helps the government to provide more focussed health awareness for the economically backward classes of the society. However, public policy in relation to health promotion in Uganda shows that there are not many established legislation to indicate and manage the health professionals to work in an appropriate manner (Alonso-Garbayo et al. 2017). This act as weakness for the country as the health professionals are not properly directed with legal guidelines at all times regarding the way they are to work so that proper assistance can be provided to the patients and public. It leads them to act in a hindered manner at times that negatively affects the health of the public rather than promoting their health.

Conclusion

The above discussion informs that infection control is the healthcare discipline that is related to prevention and control of nosocomial infection. The topic is chosen because in the UK it is seen that many patients face deteriorated health situation due to lack of proper infection control measures in the hospitals and care homes. The Tannahill model informs that for creating successful health promotion regarding any health issue positive health education, health protection and prevention is the key to achieve success in promotion. The Diffusion of Innovation theory informed that some efficiently adopt ideas where others are conservative in nature to accept ideas shared through health promotion. The social policy of residential segregation and neighbourhood environment in the UK is seen to create differences in shaping health promotion regarding infection control in different areas. However, the economic and public policies are seen to offer proper resources and finances required for effectively setting health promotion regarding infection control in the country. The social policy of Uganda ensures the shaping of the health promotion regarding infection control to be done in such a way so that all the individuals are equally able to get better health conditions. The economic policy and public policies in Uganda are seen to play efficient role in offering proper health promotion within the country.

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Appendix 1:

Social Policy

The neighbourhood quality is another example of social policy that is required to be considered while shaping health promotion in the UK. This is because in the UK there are both socially upgraded and poor neighbourhoods where the health environments are totally different from each other. It is evident as Blackpool which is referred as one of the most deprived places in the UK is seen to have increased worst health scenario of the people living there in comparison to England (www.blackpooljsna.org.uk, 2018). Thus, the differences in health environments in different areas in the UK are going to shape health promotion regarding infection control in different manner. This is because the poor areas in the UK are often seemed to have increased number of uneducated people who require more extensive health promotion in comparison to the people living in socially-upgraded areas to understand ways to maintain hygiene to avoid spread of infection.

Public Policy

The public policies in the UK are seen to inform proper ways to provide direct support through the health promotion to the public which would influence to control all the drivers of health in an efficient manner (Gillespie et al. 2015). Thus, it influences to shape the health promotion in such a way so that the required support needs for the UK individuals to resolve specific health issues are covered.

Appendix 2:

Social Policy

The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda under the objective 7 of National Objectives and Directive principles inform that all the states are responsible in making reasonable provision for the welfare and management of aged people in the country (socialprotection.go.ug, 2018). This policy indicates the framing of the health promotion regarding infection control and other diseases in Uganda within each state in such a way so that proper health awareness regarding them to the adults as well as others is informed among the families and societies. It is required so that proper literacy can be built to offer effective healthcare services to the aged people as per the objective.

Public Policy

The public health policies in Uganda also perform the role of providing health promotional materials to the health facilities and community institutions (health.go.ug, 2018). This would result in creating an organised and attractive health promotion campaign for infection control and other diseases as the individuals involved in the campaigns have accessibility to all nature of resources required for arranging the program. The other role of the National Health Policy of Uganda regarding health promotion is to create increased involvement of the political, religious and cultural institutions in different areas around the country (health.go.ug, 2018). It is going to shape the health promotion in a coherent manner that would be able to influence people with strong religious and cultural beliefs to change behaviour to get involved in healthy activities to control diseases and infection from spreading. This is because involvement of the cultural and religious institutions who these natures of people adore would make them believe that the promoted health information is true and required for better health.