Infection Control in Care Home Design: Building for Health and Hygiene in 2025

The Critical Importance of Infection Control Design

Care homes house vulnerable populations where infection control can literally save lives. The COVID-19 pandemic elevated hygiene requirements, with CQC inspectors now scrutinizing design elements that support or hinder infection prevention. Modern care home design must minimize infection risks while supporting cleanliness protocols.

Surface Materials and Finishes: The Foundation of Hygiene

All materials in care homes must be chosen with hygiene in mind. Floors, walls, and joinery in clinical or wet areas must be seamless, water-resistant and easy to sanitize hub.careinspectorate.com.

Key specifications include:

• Vinyl or safety flooring continuously coved up walls with no gaps
• Welded joints preventing moisture accumulation hub.careinspectorate.com
• Smooth, wipeable walls using PVC cladding or high-quality epoxy paint
• Large-format tiles with epoxy grout where tiling is necessary

The design guide explicitly states: "floor coverings should be impermeable, slip-resistant, easily cleaned... with coving between the floor and wall to prevent accumulation of dust and dirt" hub.careinspectorate.com.

Hand Hygiene Infrastructure

Effective hand hygiene requires strategic placement of facilities:

• Sinks for handwashing with elbow or sensor-operated taps in all critical areas
• Hand sanitizer stations at entrances, dining rooms, and key circulation points
• Adequate space in corridors for sanitizer stations and PPE storage
• Staff handwashing facilities in sluice rooms, treatment areas, and food service zones

Ventilation: The Invisible Defense

Good ventilation reduces airborne disease transmission. Requirements include:

• Meeting Building Regulations Part F standards as a minimum
• Higher ventilation rates in high-risk areas (6+ air changes per hour in soiled utility rooms)
• Negative pressure ventilation in sluice rooms preventing odor spread
• Consideration of HEPA filtration or enhanced natural ventilation post-COVID

Strategic Layout for Infection Control

Design can support infection control through intelligent zoning:

• Isolation capability - at least one room/wing that can be segregated for infectious diseases
• Separate visitor access reducing transmission routes through the home
• "Dirty-to-clean" workflows in laundry areas
• Separated storage for clean and soiled items
• Strategic placement of utility rooms away from living areas

Specialized Area Requirements

Laundry Design:

• Defined dirty and clean zones
• Commercial-grade machines for thermal disinfection
• Barrier washers in larger homes
• Adequate ventilation for moisture and odor control

Kitchen Standards:

• Commercial-grade stainless steel surfaces
• Separate handwash sinks
• Raw and cooked food preparation separation
• Compliance with Food Safety Act requirements

Dirty Utility/Sluice Rooms:The Scottish design guide lists "domestic services room (DSR) and a dirty utility room (sluice)" as required facilities hub.careinspectorate.com. These must include:

• Slop hopper or bedpan washer/disinfector
• Clinical waste storage
• Handwash sink
• Excellent ventilation

Water Safety and Legionella Prevention

Care homes are high-risk environments for Legionnaires' disease. Design must comply with HTM 04-01 or HSE's L8 guidance:

• Hot water stored at ≥60°C, distributed at ≥50°C
• Thermostatic mixing valves (TMVs) preventing scalding
• Access panels for regular flushing
• Materials discouraging biofilm formation
• Proper pipe insulation

Balancing Homeliness with Hygiene

The challenge lies in creating hygienic environments without institutional aesthetics:

• Cushioned vinyl flooring mimicking hardwood while being waterproof
• Washable, antimicrobial soft furnishings
• Robust finishes in high-contact areas with traditional decor in low-risk spaces

The care guide notes that decorative elements are acceptable if there's a plan for cleaning/replacement hub.careinspectorate.com.

The En-Suite Revolution

Post-pandemic expectations have shifted dramatically. While regulations don't mandate all en-suites, the design guide lists "bedrooms with ensuite wet floor shower room" as fundamental good practice hub.careinspectorate.com. Individual bathrooms drastically reduce infection transmission compared to shared facilities.

CQC Expectations

CQC inspectors check Regulation 15 (Premises) which explicitly requires "cleanliness" and appropriate maintenance of hygiene standards cqc.org.uk. During COVID-19, additional infection prevention inspections marked down homes with cluttered layouts or hard-to-clean surfaces.

Future-Proofing Against Pandemics

The Scottish Care Inspectorate's warning resonates: "even if the building is under construction, non-compliance with... regulations and best practice may result in costly changes or registration refusal" hub.careinspectorate.com.

RDS CareBuild's Infection Control Excellence

At RDS CareBuild, we've learned from recent challenges to create care homes that excel in infection control without sacrificing comfort. We specify hospital-grade materials hidden under domestic aesthetics, ensuring your care home can maintain the highest hygiene standards while feeling like home. Our designs anticipate future pandemic challenges while meeting today's stringent requirements.