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stakeholder consultation on the updated Adult Social Care (ASC) Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) resource is now open

Dear colleagues,

We are writing to let you know that the stakeholder consultation on the updated Adult Social Care (ASC) Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) resource is now open, 20 April 2026 to 20 May 2026.

DHSC has worked closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to review and update the ASC IPC resource, bringing existing guidance together into a clearer, more practical and more accessible resource for the sector. The aim is to ensure the guidance is usable across the full range of adult social care settings and reflects sector experience and learning, including from the COVID‑19 pandemic.

A reminder of the purpose of the consultation
The consultation is an opportunity for you and your networks to help shape the final resource. We are particularly interested in feedback on:

  1. whether the guidance is clear, accessible and easy to navigate;
  2. how practical and workable it is in real‑world ASC settings;
  3. whether it reflects current practice and sector needs; and
  4. any gaps, areas for clarification, or additional support materials that would be helpful.

Consultation documents
All consultation materials are attached in a ZIP folder. Please download and extract the files to access the documents. The ZIP folder contains:

DHSC Updated ASC IPC resource consultation documents. Deadline 20 May 2026

  1. PDF Information pack for stakeholders (background, purpose and consultation approach)
  2. Draft Infection Prevention and Control Resource for Adult Social Care (PDF files of each section)
    1. 1. Introduction
    2. 2. Why preventing infection is important
    3. 3. Standard infection prevention and control precautions
    4. 4. Transmission based precautions
    5. 5. Fundamentals of care which help prevent infections
    6. 6. Vaccinations for care and support workers and those individuals receiving care and support
    7. 7. Managing outbreaks in adult social care settings
    8. 8a. Tuberculosis (TB) guidance for adult social care settings
    9. 8b. Managing suspected infectious diarrhoea and/or vomiting in adult social care settings
    10. 9. Essential IPC considerations associated with clinical interventions
    11. 10. Staff health and managing sickness related to infection
    12. 11. Additional information and resources for care setting managers
    13. 12. Glossary
    14. 13. Abbreviations
  3. A Microsoft Word consultation feedback form

Sharing the consultation

We would encourage you to share this consultation and the supporting materials with your networks so that a wide range of adult social care voices and perspectives are reflected.

How to respond
This email has been issued from the dedicated DHSC ASC IPC resource consultation inbox. All feedback, questions or correspondence relating to the consultation should be sent to:

ascipcresource@dhsc.gov.uk

Please send your responses to this email address to support effective management and collation of feedback by close of play Wednesday 20 May.

Thank you in advance for your time and for contributing your expertise to this important work.