The numbers of people acquiring hospital infections are rising year upon year in the United Kingdom. With the media attention focusing on MRSA as the “super bug” and the Government applying targets for the reduction in the number of deaths complicated by infection, NHS Hospital trusts, Primary Care Trusts and nursing and social care organisations are keen to ensure that staff are well-informed and trained to control cross-infection.

The first two units of this qualification help learners gain an understanding of the different agents which can cause infection and how they grow and mutate; how infection is spread and the measures that can be taken to prevent this from taking place. In the third unit MRSA is examined in more depth with learners looking at how it has become a hospital ‘super bug’ resistant to anti-biotics; and their role and obligations under law in reducing its spread.

In order to achieve the full qualification, learners must build up a portfolio of evidence made up of tasks that cover the assessment criteria within the ‘What you need to do’ section of each unit. Internal Moderation must take place within a centre followed by external moderation from OCNW. To gain a unit certificate all assessment criteria within the ‘What you need to do’ section of the unit must be achieved. For the full qualification, learners must satisfy all the criteria for the three units.