1.1 Principles of Infection Prevention and Control

Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a fundamental component of safe, ethical and evidence-informed occupational therapy practice. Occupational Therapists (OTs) working with assistance animals provide services across a diverse range of environments, including hospitals, schools, workplaces, disability services, aged care facilities, community settings and clients’ homes. Many clients accessing these services may be older adults, immunocompromised individuals, young children or people with complex medical conditions, making effective infection prevention essential to protecting their health and wellbeing.

The goal of infection prevention is not to eliminate all microorganisms, but rather to minimise the risk of harmful pathogens being transmitted between people, animals and the environment. Occupational Therapists must balance infection prevention with person-centred care, ensuring that protective measures are proportionate to the identified level of risk and do not unnecessarily restrict participation, independence or access to occupational therapy services.

Within assistance animal practice, infection prevention extends beyond protecting human health. It also involves maintaining the health and welfare of assistance animals, reducing environmental contamination and supporting safe interactions between clients, practitioners, animals and the wider community. This holistic approach aligns with the principles of One Health, recognising that the health of humans, animals and the environment are closely interconnected.

Understanding Infection Prevention and Control

Infection prevention and control refers to the coordinated strategies used to prevent or reduce the transmission of infectious diseases. These strategies are applied across healthcare, disability services, veterinary medicine, education and community settings to protect individuals from avoidable illness while maintaining safe service delivery.

Effective infection prevention is based on the understanding that infectious diseases spread through identifiable pathways. By recognising how microorganisms are transmitted and implementing appropriate preventive measures, Occupational Therapists can substantially reduce the likelihood of infection occurring during clinical practice.

Importantly, infection prevention is not limited to responding when an infectious disease is known or suspected. Instead, it should be incorporated into every client interaction through routine practices such as hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, appropriate equipment management and risk assessment.

Why Infection Prevention Matters

Healthcare-associated infections remain a significant cause of illness worldwide and may result in increased morbidity, prolonged treatment, reduced participation in everyday activities and increased healthcare costs. Many infections are preventable through the consistent application of evidence-informed infection prevention measures.

Within occupational therapy, effective infection prevention contributes to:

• protecting clients from preventable infections
• protecting Occupational Therapists and other workers
• protecting assistance animals from infectious diseases
• reducing environmental contamination
• maintaining safe clinical environments
• supporting safe community participation
• maintaining public confidence in assistance animal partnerships
• promoting ethical and professional practice.

Infection prevention therefore contributes not only to physical health but also to client confidence, service quality and organisational safety.

Infection Prevention Within Assistance Animal Practice

Assistance animals accompany their handlers into many environments that are inaccessible to companion animals, including healthcare facilities, public transport, workplaces, educational settings and government buildings. Consequently, Occupational Therapists must understand the unique infection prevention considerations associated with working animal partnerships.

Healthy, appropriately managed assistance animals present a very low risk of disease transmission. Routine veterinary care, vaccination, parasite prevention, grooming and appropriate nutrition significantly reduce biological risks. Similarly, good handler hygiene and environmental management further minimise opportunities for disease transmission.

It is important to recognise that assistance animals should not automatically be viewed as infection risks simply because they are animals. Decisions regarding infection prevention should always be based on individual risk assessment and current scientific evidence rather than assumptions or misconceptions.

Balancing Infection Prevention and Occupational Participation

A core principle of occupational therapy is enabling individuals to participate safely in meaningful occupations. Infection prevention should support this goal rather than creating unnecessary restrictions.

There may be occasions where additional precautions are required, such as when a client is severely immunocompromised or during an infectious disease outbreak. In these situations, Occupational Therapists should work collaboratively with clients, healthcare teams and assistance animal professionals to identify reasonable adjustments that maintain both safety and participation wherever possible.

Risk management should therefore seek to reduce preventable risks while respecting client autonomy, legal rights and the important role that assistance animals play in supporting independence, participation and quality of life.

The Occupational Therapist’s Role

Occupational Therapists have a professional responsibility to incorporate infection prevention into all aspects of practice.

This includes:

• applying evidence-informed infection prevention strategies
• conducting biological risk assessments
• following organisational policies and public health guidance
• maintaining personal competence through continuing professional development
• educating clients, families and support workers
• collaborating with multidisciplinary teams
• recognising situations requiring additional precautions
• promoting assistance animal health and welfare
• advocating for equitable access while maintaining safety.

Occupational Therapists should remain informed about current infection prevention guidance and adapt their practice as new evidence and public health recommendations emerge.

Professional and Ethical Responsibilities

Infection prevention is both a professional and ethical obligation. Occupational Therapists are expected to practise in ways that minimise the risk of harm while respecting the dignity, autonomy and rights of clients.

This requires practitioners to balance competing considerations, including:

• protecting vulnerable individuals from infection
• supporting occupational participation
• maintaining assistance animal welfare
• respecting disability rights
• applying evidence rather than assumptions
• avoiding discriminatory practices
• maintaining public confidence in the profession.

Ethical infection prevention recognises that safety and inclusion are complementary goals rather than competing priorities.

Infection Prevention as Shared Responsibility

Effective infection prevention relies on collaboration between everyone involved in service delivery. Clients, Occupational Therapists, assistance animal handlers, trainers, veterinarians, employers, support workers and healthcare organisations all contribute to reducing infection risks.

Creating a culture of shared responsibility encourages consistent hygiene practices, early identification of potential risks, open communication and continuous improvement. By working together, stakeholders can support environments that are safe, inclusive and conducive to meaningful occupational participation.

Key Practice Principle

Infection prevention and control is an integral component of safe occupational therapy practice and extends beyond the prevention of disease to encompass ethical decision-making, assistance animal welfare and the promotion of meaningful occupational participation. By applying evidence-informed infection prevention principles, Occupational Therapists can protect the health of clients, practitioners, assistance animals and the wider community while supporting inclusive, person-centred and sustainable assistance animal partnerships.