Scotland has published and new prevention and control strategy, which covers both health and social care settings, becoming the first nation in the UK to publish an integrated strategy.

The new framework aims to reduce avoidable infections, protect patients, service users and staff, and improve the quality and safety of care across the country. With healthcare-associated infections estimated to cost NHS Scotland £46.4 million each year, the strategy sets out ambitious priorities to strengthen leadership, surveillance, education and workforce development. A series of multi-year action plans will now be developed to turn the vision into practice, helping to prevent infections and improve outcomes across hospitals, care homes and community services.

Healthcare-associated infections

‘An Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Strategy for Scotland: Vision and Priority Statements’ aims to minimise preventable infection for everyone who accesses, uses or provides health and social care.

Healthcare-associated infections currently account for an estimated 7,500 incidents across NHS Scotland each year, at an estimated annual cost of £46.4 million.

It is estimated that reducing healthcare-associated infection incidences by 10 per cent could free up 5,800 bed-days annually and create capacity to treat around 1,700 additional elective patients.

The strategy
The strategy was developed by the Infection Prevention and Control Strategic Development and Oversight Group (IPCSDOG), which was established in September 2025, and has a membership drawn from across Scottish Government, NHS boards, academia, social care, and the third sector.

The strategy sets out eight priority areas, including strengthened governance and leadership, proactive national and local IPC programmes, improved data and surveillance, and expanded education, training and career development for the health and social care workforce.

This will be followed by a series of multi-year action plans to deliver the vision in practice.

Care home staff will have better training on infection control practices and there will be improved data and surveillance to catch and stop the spread of infection earlier in hospitals.

Chief nursing officer for Scotland, Professor Aisha Holloway said: "Infection prevention and control is fundamental to safe, high-quality care. Every day across Scotland we see how effective IPC processes and practice reduces avoidable harm, protects patients, service users and staff, and builds trust in the health and social care services that we all rely on.  

“We do not underestimate the scale of the challenge — health and social care-associated infections continue to cause significant harm, in both hospital and community settings.  

“This strategy responds to that reality with a system-wide approach. The experience and insight of the health and social care workforce across Scotland will be central to shaping the action plans that bring this strategy to life."

Funding
As part of the next stage of the strategy, the Scottish Government is making grants of up to £100,000 available to third-sector organisations to help involve communities in shaping the forthcoming action plans. The selected organisation will focus on engaging groups whose voices are often underrepresented in public discussions, including people affected by infections. This work will help strengthen community input into public health policy and ensure that lived experience and patient perspectives continue to influence future priorities and decision-making.

Scotland’s new Infection Prevention and Control Strategy marks a significant step towards improving safety and reducing avoidable infections across both health and social care services. By bringing together healthcare providers, social care organisations, policymakers and communities under a single framework, the strategy takes a joined-up approach to a long-standing challenge. Its focus on stronger leadership, better data, workforce development and community engagement provides a solid foundation for future action. With targeted investment and the development of multi-year action plans, the strategy has the potential to improve patient outcomes, enhance service capacity and create a more resilient health and social care system for Scotland.