Bromley Health Protection

and Care Champions Network

What is a Health Protection and Care Champion?

A Health Protection and Care Champion (HPCC) is someone who works to help protect the residents, relatives, visitors and staff they work with in reducing any impact of infectious disease. This is achieved by creating and maintaining a clean and safe environment through knowledge-based care.

Through the network of Champions, HPCCs were supported and guided by expert advice and effective collaboration between specialist Infection Prevention & Control Nurses and Public Health Nurses. The aim was to help mitigate the impact of infectious disease, resulting in settings becoming happier, safer places.

The network was open to anyone working in care settings and all were encouraged to become a HPC Champion. The aim was for HPCC to be a source of knowledge and guidance for colleagues, to have a desire to learn more about health protection, to support others. It enabled HPCC to have a say in how their workplace provides care and looks after each other and their work environment.

As part of the HPC Champions Network Launch Programme, all Champions and Deputies were provided with an Infection Prevention and Control Resource Pack.

And those in care homes also received an Infection Prevention and Control CQC Inspection Folder and Prevention Infection Workbook guidance.

 

Bromley HPCCs were part of a peer-led group coming from a diverse range of settings to share knowledge, standardise practice, mutual support, encourage and develop a forum in which we can share ideas and maintain good practice. Settings included Bromley Nursing, Residential and Extra Care Housing Community, Domiciliary Care, Extra Care Housing, Supported Living, Learning Disability and Mental Health Care.

During the pandemic, we learnt how isolating it can be to work alone, how vulnerable we feel for our own and our client’s health and safety. We recognised the importance of maintaining safe environments and assessing risk. By creating a community of like-minded individuals we maintained what we have learnt, staying ahead of change, working together to create a strong foundation for the future.

Not only did HPCCs have the opportunity to network with colleagues and become part of a team, they also furthered personal developmentencouraging others to feel empowered whilst maintaining excellent standards of care for all their settings.

The Health Protection and Care Champion Network was supported by nurses from Smart Health Solutions

Michaela Nuttall, Founder and Director of Smart Health Solutions

Michaela Nuttall

Joanne Haws, Clinical Director of Smart Health Solutions

Joanne Haws

Naomi Stetson

Naomi Stetson

Debbie Terry

Debbie Terry

Corinne Hayes

Corrine Hayes

Una O’Connor