Last week saw managers from care homes across Pembrokeshire come together to put in place tactics for tackling outbreaks of norovirus and influenza (flu) in their care home.

With winter fast approaching, the elderly are amongst the most susceptible and vulnerable to the norovirus and influenza. Across Wales there are over 20,000 care home residents and in excess of 75,000 people employed in caring for the elderly.

The need for a sector-wide event was highlighted at a meeting of the Pembrokeshire Employers Engagement Project which led to Mike Davies, chairman of Pembrokeshire Care Homes Association, working with Pembrokeshire County Council Environmental Health and Central Training at Pembrokeshire College to arrange the training.

Attended by managers from 14 care homes across Pembrokeshire, the training covered infection prevention and control practices with a focus on outbreak management, including testing for norovirus and flu and highlighting the importance of all frontline care home staff being vaccinated against flu.

Sue Morgan, health protection nurse for Public Health Wales, delivered the training and commented: “Events such as this are key to disseminating good practice and highlighting the importance of care home residents and staff being vaccinated to effectively protect themselves and their families from influenza.”

It is now hoped that the training will be rolled out to all care home workers across Pembrokeshire.