Health and social care - infection prevention and control strategy: vision and priority statements

How the strategy was developed

2.1 The Infection Prevention and Control Strategic Development and Oversight Group (IPCSDOG)

IPCSDOG was created in September 2025 and was tasked with developing a ten-year IPC strategic vision and priority statements.

Membership of the group (see annex A) was carefully considered to maximise future impact, insight and cross-sector understanding. It includes stakeholders from across Scottish Government, academia, primary, secondary and tertiary/social care. This group was chaired by Professor of IPC at Glasgow Caledonian University, Jacqui Reilly CBE, and deputy chaired by Professor Donald Macaskill, Chief Executive of Scottish Care. The IPCSDOG met on seven occasions between September 2025 and February 2026.

2.2 Theory of Change

The IPCSDOG undertook a Theory of Change (ToC) approach to the task, utilising the UK Government Theory of Change toolkit and resources,^[18] and supported by Scottish Government Analysts.

The ToC (see annex B) was developed collaboratively through a structured workshop process involving a wide range of stakeholders. The ToC sets out the relationships between activities, outputs and intended outcomes, alongside the key assumptions and contextual factors that may influence delivery and impact. The ToC articulates how the actions within the IPC Strategy are expected to contribute to improved outcomes across health and social care.

2.3 Developing the vision and priority statements

The vision for Scotland and eight priority statements were developed with the key principles articulated in the World Health Assembly (2023) adoption of the WHO Global IPC strategy and the WHO recommendations on the core components^[19] for IPC programmes.

In developing the strategy, the IPCSDOG used the eight strategic directions and vision in the WHO Global IPC Strategy as a starting point, allowing alignment with the UK’s international commitment and to allow all lessons learnt from inquiries relating to IPC to be incorporated. The group considered current infection epidemiology in health and social care settings, international evidence, and key lessons from COVID-19, resulting in an approach that differs from previous national strategies. Systematic reviews of IPC research in health and social care settings informed priority setting.

While the majority of IPC evidence available is hospital-based, the most recent systematic reviews in primary care and social care settings published to date point to a weaker evidence base requiring more research in these settings^[20],^[21],^[22],^[23]. Nonetheless there is a recognised burden of infection and some evidence for the essential core components^[24] of IPC, which can be drawn upon to inform a national set of policy priorities in all health and social care settings.

Learning from Scotland’s COVID-19 experience and from national advisory groups such as the COVID-19 Nosocomial Review Group (CNRG) and CPAG led to three new recommended approaches for developing a national IPC strategy. These were:

1. adopting a whole system approach that covers all health and social care settings

2. embedding a person-led, rights-based approach

3. adopting a behavioural insights approach

IPCSDOG considers these three elements essential for future national IPC planning.

2.4 Behavioural insights at the heart of IPC developments

IPCSDOG considered the application of behavioural science insights including cognitive biases, social influence and stakeholder codesign, to define desired IPC behaviours and understand barriers and facilitators to effective interventions. These concepts are also critical to the co-design, implementation and evaluation of IPC strategies and interventions. This should be guided by the WHO multimodal approach and the behavioural science roadmap and learning from pandemic research on communication, team identity and leadership role modelling.24

2.5 A human rights-based approach to IPC

IPCSDOG agreed to adopt a human rights-based approach^[25] to the strategy, recognising that IPC measures must be evidence-based, proportionate, person-led, and attentive to the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of individuals, rather than driven solely by system, organisational, or environmental concerns. The group chose to undertake a FAIR approach^[26] to the development as detailed below.

Facts. As detailed in section 1, the group considered the growing body of national and international IPC evidence, drawing on lessons learned across health and social care systems following the COVID-19 pandemic. Human rights considerations for people in health and social care settings have been significantly strengthened since the pandemic, underscoring the need for a rights-centred policy direction.

Analysis. The Scottish Government has undertaken initial impact assessments, providing an early view of human rights, equality, children’s rights, and socioeconomic considerations. Impact assessments will be published in full alongside the first action plan.

Identification of Responsibilities. Through the group’s work developing the vision and priority statements, the high-level inputs, outputs and outcomes have been broadly identified. Identifying specific actions and who has responsibilities for helping to make and implement them will come in the next phase of development.

Transparency and Review. Looking ahead, there is a commitment to ensure evaluation is at the heart of the strategy (as detailed in section 4.3). Having a plan for evaluation will support transparent decision making and accountability as the strategy moves into action planning and review phases.

A people-led approach also recognises the rights and safety of health and social care workers, and positions IPC as vital for preventing AMR and supporting outbreak preparedness, readiness and response.^[27] In line with the WHO Global IPC strategy,27 Scotland’s approach emphasises the principles of clean and safe care as a fundamental component of the right to health, grounded in equity, accountability, and sustainability.

2.6 Wider engagement

Throughout the development of the strategy, IPCSDOG have engaged widely across sectors and considered IPC evidence, human rights and implementation needs, and built on learning from pre-existing strategies including the Healthcare Associated Infection (HCAI) Strategy 2023-2025, the Infection Prevention Workforce: Strategic Plan 2022-2024, the UK 5-year action plan for antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029 and the Coronavirus (COVID-19): care home outbreaks – root cause analysis.

The priority statements were developed through a consultative process, taking in contributions from IPCSDOG members and their networks, carried out in the first quarter of 2026.