Infection prevention and control program
 229. (1) Every licensee of a long-term care home shall ensure that the infection prevention and control program required under subsection 86 (1) of the Act complies with the requirements of this section.  O. Reg. 79/10, s. 229 (1). (2) The licensee shall ensure, (a) that there is an interdisciplinary team approach in the co-ordination and implementation of the program; (b) that the interdisciplinary team that co-ordinates and implements the program meets at least quarterly; (c) that the local medical officer of health is invited to the meetings; (d) that the program is evaluated and updated at least annually in accordance with evidence-based practices and, if there are none, in accordance with prevailing practices; and (e) that a written record is kept relating to each evaluation under clause (d) that includes the date of the evaluation, the names of the persons who participated in the evaluation, a summary of the changes made and the date that those changes were implemented.  O. Reg. 79/10, s. 229 (2). (3) The licensee shall designate a staff member to co-ordinate the program who has education and experience in infection prevention and control practices, including, (a) infectious diseases; (b) cleaning and disinfection; (c) data collection and trend analysis; (d) reporting protocols; and (e) outbreak management.  O. Reg. 79/10, s. 229 (3). (4) The licensee shall ensure that all staff participate in the implementation of the program.  O. Reg. 79/10, s. 229 (4). (5) The licensee shall ensure that on every shift, (a) symptoms indicating the presence of infection in residents are monitored in accordance with evidence-based practices and, if there are none, in accordance with prevailing practices; and (b) the symptoms are recorded and that immediate action is taken as required.  O. Reg. 79/10, s. 229 (5). (6) The licensee shall ensure that the information gathered under subsection (5) is analyzed daily to detect the presence of infection and reviewed at least once a month to detect trends, for the purpose of reducing the incidence of infection and outbreaks.  O. Reg. 79/10, s. 229 (6). (7) The licensee shall implement any surveillance protocols given by the Director for a particular communicable disease.  O. Reg. 79/10, s. 229 (7). (8) The licensee shall ensure that there are in place, (a) an outbreak management system for detecting, managing, and controlling infectious disease outbreaks, including defined staff responsibilities, reporting protocols based on requirements under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, communication plans, and protocols for receiving and responding to health alerts; and (b) a written plan for responding to infectious disease outbreaks.  O. Reg. 79/10, s. 229 (8). (9) The licensee shall ensure that there is in place a hand hygiene program in accordance with evidence-based practices and, if there are none, in accordance with prevailing practices, and with access to point-of-care hand hygiene agents.  O. Reg. 79/10, s. 229 (9). (10) The licensee shall ensure that the following immunization and screening measures are in place: 1. Each resident admitted to the home must be screened for tuberculosis within 14 days of admission unless the resident has already been screened at some time in the 90 days prior to admission and the documented results of this screening are available to the licensee. 2. Residents must be offered immunization against influenza at the appropriate time each year. 3. Residents must be offered immunizations against pneumoccocus, tetanus and diphtheria in accordance with the publicly funded immunization schedules posted on the Ministry website. 4. Staff is screened for tuberculosis and other infectious diseases in accordance with evidence-based practices and, if there are none, in accordance with prevailing practices. 5. There must be a staff immunization program in accordance with evidence-based practices and, if there are none, in accordance with prevailing practices.  O. Reg. 79/10, s. 229 (10). (11) A licensee is exempt from paragraph 1 of subsection (10) with respect to a resident, (a) who is being relocated to another long-term care home operated by the same licensee  and section 208 of this Regulation applies; or (b) who is transferring to a related temporary long-term care home, a re-opened long-term care home or a replacement long-term care home operated by the same licensee.  O. Reg. 79/10, s. 229 (11). (12) The licensee shall ensure that any pet living in the home or visiting as part of a pet visitation program has up-to-date immunizations.  O. Reg. 79/10, s. 229 (12). Emergency Plans