BSAC Vanguard Series: The future of infection prevention and control: how COVID is already transforming our approach to antimicrobial resistance.

ABSTRACT

COVID -19 stimulated enormous focus on, and change in, infection prevention and control (IPC), not just in the healthcare sector but also among the general public. While global cooperation and guidance are important, there is also an essential role and benefit from national policies that respect local circumstances and cultural differences. Hospitals will have a new role and data sharing and cooperation between areas such as acute and long-term care will be even more important. Further integration of infection control, microbiology and infectious diseases staff in IPC teams is needed. The digital and AI revolutions have roles to play in how and where patients are seen and diagnosed. The built environment may have longer-term influence on changing the behaviour of health professionals than education and training. One constant is the need for highly trained, flexible and motivated staff in these IPC teams.