FAQs Infection prevention and control

• Guidance for registered podiatrists and podiatric surgeons: Infection prevention and control (268KB, PDF)
• Self-reflective tool PDF (242 KB)

The Board expects you to practise safely, in a way that minimises the spread of infection. This has not changed.

What has changed is that the Board no longer prescribes specific practice guidelines that you must adhere to or keep at your place of practice. The Board expects you to exercise professional judgment to ensure that the guidance you follow and the processes you use are evidence-based, safe and relevant to your practice setting. You should apply a risk-based approach, having regard to your practice setting.

The Board regularly reviews its guidelines and policies to ensure they are relevant and reflect current needs. The Guidelines: Infection prevention and control and the Self-audit tool – Infection control obligations of podiatry practitioners have been in place since 2016 and were due a review.

The Board carried out a review which included considering the new Australian standard for reprocessing reusable medical devices in healthcare settings, Reprocessing of reusable medical devices and other devices in health and non-health related facilities (AS: 5369:2023).

Following this review, the Board decided to replace the guidelines and self-audit tool with guidance and a self-reflective tool. These new resources will help practitioners:

• understand regulatory obligations on infection prevention and control
• find other relevant sources of information
• consider the way you practise, and
• identify areas for improvement.

Replacing the guidelines with other supporting resources is a more risk-based and less prescriptive approach. This approach reflects the role of the Board which is to regulate individual practitioners, not to develop clinical or practice guidelines.

This approach also means we’re able to give you updated information faster, giving you new information as it becomes available.

Retiring the guidelines is part of a bigger plan to improve regulation. Our focus is on supporting professional practice through developing resources that explain your regulatory obligations and help you find relevant sources of information.

Read the Guidance for registered podiatrists and podiatric surgeons: Infection prevention and control. This will help you understand your obligations and find resources about infection prevention.

The guidance includes links to national guidance and standards, health department resources and professional associations. It also describes other obligations that may apply in your state or territory (for example, in relation to waste management).

Further information may be available directly through government health departments, statutory entities, professional associations, insurers or private consultants. These give more detailed guidance and advice on achieving good infection prevention and control.

Complete the self-reflective tool. This tool will help guide you through a self-reflection on core components of infection prevention and control. If you identify gaps, consider setting learning, development or improvement goals to help you address them.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re not sure whether your practice is acceptable. Government health departments, statutory entities, professional associations, insurers or private consultants may be able to help you with advice specific to your circumstances.