Evidence
Surveillance decision
We will not update the guideline at this time.
We will transfer the guideline to the static list because:
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No evidence was identified that would impact on the current guidance and no major ongoing studies or research have been identified as due to be published in the near future (that is, within the next 3 to 5 years).
We will amend the guideline to include a footnote to recommendation 1.1.4.2 to reference Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013 (the Sharps Regulations). We will add a footnote to the recommendations 1.4.3.1, 1.4.3.8, 1.4.4.1 and 1.4.4.11 clarifying the presence of a safety alert related to the use of chlorhexidine. We will update references to some documents supporting the recommendations (table 1).
Terminology for the aseptic technique, aseptic non-touch technique, non-touch technique, clean technique will be considered and amended if needed to ensure clarity following stakeholder feedback that these terms were unclear.
Reason for the decision
We found 48 new studies through surveillance of this guideline.
This included new evidence on standard principles, general advice, hand decontamination, use of personal protective equipment, safe use and disposal of sharps, waste disposal, long-term urinary catheters and enteral feeding that supports current recommendations. We also found new evidence on vascular access devices. We asked topic experts whether this new evidence would affect current recommendations on use of chlorhexidine impregnated dressings, change of peripheral intravenous sets, and use of impregnated central venous catheters. Generally, the topic experts' opinion whether or not an updated was need was mixed. However, most of the new evidence identified came from hospital settings and not from community settings. This fact limits the generalisability of the findings to community settings. So, none of the new evidence considered in surveillance of this guideline was thought to have an effect on current recommendations for primary and community care settings.
These areas are covered by epic3 guidelines, which focus on preventing healthcare-associated infections in hospitals. This guidance is kept up to date and it is widely used by healthcare professionals (NICE accredited).
In addition, no major ongoing studies or research due to be published in the next 3 to 5 years was identified.
Overall decision
After considering all the new evidence and views of topic experts, we decided not to update this guideline at this time and to transfer the guideline to the static list.
See how we made the decision for further information.
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