Health Protection Resources and Information for Education Settings

This page will allow all education settings to access health protection information and download resources suitable for teaching infection prevention.

Infectious Diseases

This following link offers the latest Government guidance for staff on managing cases of infectious diseases in education and childcare settings: Health protection in children and young people settings, including education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

You can also access e-Bug resources - e-Bug is operated by the UK Health Security Agency. The programme aims to promote positive behaviour change among children and young people to support infection prevention and control efforts to respond to the global threat of antimicrobial resistance. The resources help educate children and young people and ensure they are able to play their role in preventing infection outbreaks and using antimicrobials appropriately.

UKHSA Infection Protection and Winter Readiness and Control Toolkit for Early Years and Education Settings - South -West Councils (swcouncils.gov.uk)

“A parent’s guide to keeping kids healthy this school year” is available at: UKHSA's website

UKHSA Infection Prevention and Control and Winter Readiness Toolkit for Early Years and Education Settings

The Early Years and Education Settings Winter Readiness site, from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provides a toolkit designed to help early years and education settings with planning and preparation for winter infections and outbreaks, and in outbreak investigation and management.

The resources are quick-reference documents, designed to be used as needed for your setting.

The toolkit complements the national guidance documents on the Gov.uk website for respiratory infections, influenza and viral gastroenteritis.

Immunisations

Immunisations resources for schools can be downloaded via the gov.uk website. This includes posters to reassure parents, carers and pupils for both primary and secondary schools.  

Antimicrobials

This week provides an opportunity to review current practice and ask whether we are handling Antimicrobials with appropriate care. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact healthprotection@swindon.gov.uk , 

World Antibiotic Awareness Week, 18-24 November every year

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major threat to modern healthcare. Infection prevention is key as preventing and controlling infections will lead to fewer antimicrobial drugs being used, meaning less risk of bacteria developing resistance.

What are antimicrobials?

Antimicrobials – including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitic – are medicines used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals and plants.

What is antimicrobial resistance?

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and recent outbreaks have highlighted, management of viral infection remains an important challenge and can have an adverse impact on the use of antibiotics. Now, more than ever we need to continue to work together to prevent serious infections – including COVID-19 – while reducing inappropriate antibiotic use.

 How you can help

  • Preventing infection through good hygiene – When eating or preparing food, washing hands and keeping food preparation areas clean can help prevents infections
  • Encourage people to get vaccinated against preventable illnesses like flu and measles
  • Before taking an antibiotic, talk to a qualified health professional about when antibiotics should be used, how to take them correctly, and the importance of not hoarding or sharing them
  • Old medicines should be taken back to the pharmacy, not thrown away in general waste or flushed down the toilet, otherwise these can pollute the environment
  • Handle antibiotics with care and complete a prescribed course

Suggested actions to consider for World Antimicrobials Awareness Week (WAAW) in your setting

The 'Caring for children with a cough' leaflet was produced by researchers at the University of Bristol after extensive work with parents. It explains what parents should do when looking after a child with a cough and when parents should take their child to see a doctor. This leaflet is in routine use by local NHS services.

You can find out more about World AMR Awareness Week and Antimicrobial Resistance in the following website World AMR Awareness Week 

Everybody can pledge to become an Antibiotic Guardian including families and educators: Antibiotic Guardian - Pledge to be an Antibiotic Guardian

This short YouTube animation from Heath Education England provides a good summary https://youtu.be/oMnU6g2djm4,

HPV

Co-produced by young people and researchers from the University of Bristol and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, ‘EDUCATE’ will help you teach pupils about HPV and provide reassurance about receiving the vaccine — usually offered to teenagers at school as part of the national vaccination programme. You can download it via the PSHE Association website:  https://pshe-association.org.uk/resource/educate-hpv-vaccine

e-Bug Resources

Free and fun resources, some of which include microbes, vaccinations, food and hand hygiene. These are aligned with the national curriculum, covering Early Years through to KS4. Each session includes extension activities, comprehensive teacher guidance, and can all be adapted to fit your lesson plans. These are available to download from the e-Bug website

Other Resources

The SW Health Protection Team also continues to run free Health Protection webinars aimed at providing early years and education colleagues with information about how to prevent and manage seasonal cases and outbreaks. The next webinar will take place on Thursday 23 January 4-5pm and yourself and members of your team are more than welcome to attend. Future dates will also be listed on the Eventbrite page. You can book your place by following this link.