Australian Acute Care
Infection prevention and control in the acute care setting is intensely diverse, requiring multiple resources to support the sector in achieving quality and reliability of services. The Australian health care sector is governed by The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards, also utilising joint Australian/New Zealand and international Standards.
The following page of IPC acute care resources aim to guide, support, and inform acute care providers, healthcare workers, patients, visitors and the broader community.
Note: Resources shared across all health care settings are located in the collaborative resource pages in accordance with country or region.
National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.
https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/nsqhs-standards
Standard 3- National Preventing and Controlling Infections
Standard 3- National Preventing and Controlling Infections – fact sheet
Clinical Care Standard – Sepsis
Sepsis: https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/sepsis-clinical-care-standard
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health (ACSQHC) Care Practice Guidelines
Aseptic technique (ACSQHC)
https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/infection-prevention-and-control/aseptic-technique
Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (ACSQHC)
Clostridioides difficile (CDI) surveillance guide (ACSQHC)
Surveillance
Approaches to surgical site infection surveillance – for acute care settings Australia (ACSQHC)
Surgical Site Infection Surveillance (ACSQHC)
Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Clinical Indicator Manual NSW (CEC)
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) (ACSQHC)
Staphylococcus aureus Bacteraemia (SAB) (ACSQHC)
Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) (ACSQHC)
Carbapenamase Resistant Enterococci (CRE) (ACSQHC)
Candida auris (C. auris) – Victoria DoH
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/infectious-diseases/candida-auris-c-auris
Central line-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care (ANZICS)
https://www.anzics.com.au/clabsi/
Central line-associated bloodstream infections in intensive care (ACSQHC)
Surgical site surveillance (SSI) (ACSQHC)
Hand Hygiene – NHHI (ACSQHC)
Antimicrobial Stewardship
Australian AMS Clinical Standard
NCAS Guidance AMS- web-based antimicrobial decision support program for hospitals
Operating Theatre Services
Australian Health Facility Guideline (AusHFG) – Health Planning Units
https://www.healthfacilityguidelines.com.au/hpu/operating-unit-1
Response to humidity control events in sterile store &perioperative areas Victorian Health and Human Services Building Authority
Humidity Control Events in Perioperative Care Areas. American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE)
Communicable Disease Control Directorate Guideline. Microbiological air sampling of operating rooms in Western Australian healthcare facilities. Government of Western Australia Department of Health Public and Aboriginal Health Division.
Reprocessing of reusable equipment and devices
AS 5369:2023 Reprocessing of reusable medical devices and other devices in health and non-health related facilities
Building and Construction
Australasian Health Facility Design Guidelines (AusHFG)