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GOC Standard 12: Infection Prevention in Optical Practice

Embedding Clinical Safety and Hygiene into Everyday Care (Within S12)

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Infection Prevention (GOC S12)
Infection Prevention Matters
Basic Concepts of Infection
Infectious Eye Diseases
Infectious Eye Disease
SICPs - Infection Control
Cleaning & Disinfection
Cleaning Lapses
Environmental Cleaning & Waste
Vaccination & Public Health
Vaccination & Staff Health
Incident Response
Incident Management
IPC in Domiciliary Practice
Reflection & Continuous Improvement
Exam Pass Notes - GOC Standard 12
Reading List
Course Completion
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Scenario Page 4: Incident Management

When things go wrong, simple steps done well can reduce harm. The aim is to stabilise, clean, document, and learn. Roles are best agreed before the event.

Practising the essential moves

Scenario

You are working in the clinical laboratory unpacking supplies when a staff member handling a recently opened package suddenly cries out. They have pricked their finger on a stray sharp that was hidden inside the packaging. Colleagues are nearby and the item may be identifiable in the waste or unpacking area.

What is the correct response sequence?

Encourage bleeding, wash with soap and water, and cover the wound.
Report immediately and inform the supervisor.
Identify the source item if it is safe to do so, and secure it for inspection.
Assess exposure risk and seek occupational health advice.
Consider whether the incident meets RIDDOR reporting criteria and act accordingly.
Remove the hazard from circulation, review procurement and unpacking processes, and brief staff on changes.

Scenario

A frail, elderly patient presents at reception with a minor facial trauma and is bleeding. Blood has transferred onto the reception floor close to other waiting patients and the seating area. Reception staff need to manage the patient and the environmental contamination while maintaining patient dignity and safety.

How should the area be made safe and cleaned?

Move nearby people away from the area and reassure the patient.
Don appropriate PPE before approaching the spill.
Contain and absorb the spill using approved absorbent materials.
Disinfect the area using the approved product, ensuring the full contact time is observed.
Dispose of contaminated materials in the correct waste stream and allow the area to dry before returning to service.
Provide first aid to the patient, document the event, and review whether signage, seating, or supervision contributed to the incident.

Accountability details to record: who led first aid and cleaning; what products and PPE were used; when the area returned to service; and why any process or layout changes were selected, with owners and review dates.

References (numbered in text)

Needlestick or sharps injuries in health and social care: Overview — Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Find (opens in a new tab)
Decontamination against bloodborne viruses (Methods of decontamination & chemical disinfection of blood or body fluid spillage) — Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Find (opens in a new tab)
Health Technical Memorandum 07-01: Safe and sustainable management of healthcare waste — NHS England Find (opens in a new tab)
National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM) for England — NHS England Find (opens in a new tab)
RIDDOR – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations — Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Find (opens in a new tab)
Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) — NHS England Find (opens in a new tab)

Key Points

Please take a moment to review these points, reflect on their significance and consider how they apply to your own experiences.

Tick to confirm (optional):

Sharps injury immediate actions: encourage bleeding, wash with soap and water, cover and seek occupational-health advice.
Report promptly, identify source item if safe, assess exposure risk and consider RIDDOR when criteria are met.
Blood/spill scene control: move people away, don appropriate PPE, contain and absorb the spill, then disinfect using an approved product with full contact time.
Dispose contaminated materials in the correct waste stream, allow area to dry and return to service only when safe.
Record accountability and details: who led first aid/cleaning, products and PPE used, time area returned to service, and any process or layout changes with owners and review dates.
Review procurement, unpacking and workflow to remove hazards and brief staff; use incidents for learning and small improvements.

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Incident Response IPC in Domiciliary Practice

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Course Snapshot

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Length: 60 minutes CPD (1.00 CE Credits)
Appropriate for: Optometrists, dispensing opticians, optical assistants, practice managers, locums, students, domiciliary clinicians.
Course Price: Free
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Harvard

Mecourse Lifelong Learning (2025) ‘Scenario Page 4: Incident Management’. Mecourse Lifelong Learning [Online]. Available at: https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-4-incident-management [Accessed 12 May 2026].

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Mecourse Lifelong Learning. Scenario Page 4: Incident Management [Internet]. Mecourse Lifelong Learning; 2025 Aug 22 [cited 2026 May 12]. Available from: https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-4-incident-management.

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Mecourse Lifelong Learning, “Scenario Page 4: Incident Management.” Mecourse Lifelong Learning. https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-4-incident-management (Accessed: May 12, 2026).

AMA

Mecourse Lifelong Learning. Scenario Page 4: Incident Management. Mecourse Lifelong Learning. Published August 22, 2025. Accessed May 12, 2026. https://www.mecourse.com/scenario-page-4-incident-management.

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Scenario Page 4: Incident Management

Practising the essential moves

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