Course and certificate
Infection Prevention and Control Awareness
For anyone in the UK who works in or around care, health and similar settings, from care assistants and nursery-style support staff to cleaners, porters, receptionists and volunteers. Eight short lessons in plain English explain the law and national guidance, the chain of infection and standard precautions, hand hygiene, PPE, respiratory hygiene and additional precautions, sharps and exposure incidents, spills, linen and waste, and outbreaks and fitness for work, followed by a 25-question test.
- Jurisdiction
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Languages
- English, Български, Español, Italiano, Polski, Português, Română, Українська
- Lessons
- 8
- Time needed
- About 45 minutes for the lessons and the test
- Assessment
- 25 questions, pass mark 80%
- Refresher
- Recommended after 3 years
- Content updated
- 27 October 2026
- Certificate fee
- £12.00, payable after passing
01Who this course is for
- Care assistants and support workers in care homes and home care
- Cleaners, domestic staff, porters and kitchen staff in care and health settings
- Receptionists, administrators and volunteers in clinics, surgeries and hospitals
- Healthcare assistants, dental and practice support staff
- Staff in settings with vulnerable people, such as day centres and supported living
- Anyone starting a job in UK care or health who needs infection control basics
02Syllabus
- 01Why infection control matters, and the law
- 02The chain of infection and standard precautions
- 03Hand hygiene
- 04Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- 05Respiratory hygiene and additional precautions
- 06Sharps and exposure incidents
- 07Equipment, cleaning, spills, linen and waste
- 08Outbreaks, fitness for work and what your employer must do
03Assessment
25 multiple-choice questions drawn from the whole course. The pass mark is 80%. The test is free and can be retaken as often as needed; wrong answers point to the lesson to read again.
04The certificate
- With your name, your score and the date you passed.
- A unique number, recorded in our register.
- Your employer or an inspector scans it to see that it is genuine.
- Download it, print it or show it on your phone.
05Sources
The course follows the published guidance below. We are not affiliated with the bodies that publish it.
- NIPCM for England — Chapter 2
- NIPCM for England — hand hygiene
- NIPCM for England — Chapter 1
- NIPCM for England — PPE
- NIPCM for England — respiratory and cough hygiene
- UKHSA — Understanding and managing infection in adult social care
06Questions
Is infection control training a legal requirement?
Employers must give workers suitable information, instruction and training under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and COSHH, and care providers in England must prevent and control infections under regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. The Code of practice on infection prevention expects IPC in induction and continuing training. The law does not name a particular course or certificate.
Is this certificate accredited?
No. It is a certificate of completion: it shows you finished this general infection control awareness course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification, and your employer decides whether this training meets their needs.
Does this course replace the training my employer must give me?
No. It teaches general awareness. Your employer must still give you their own infection control policies, practical training and checks in hand hygiene and in putting on and taking off PPE, any fit testing for respirators, and the procedures for spills, sharps injuries and outbreaks in your workplace. This is not clinical training.
Which part of the UK does it cover?
It follows the guidance used in England, including the NHS England National Infection Prevention and Control Manual and UKHSA guidance. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own bodies and documents. The main ideas are the same, but follow the policy your employer gives you.
How long does it take?
Most people finish the lessons and the 25-question test in about an hour. You can stop and come back at any time on the same device.
What if I fail the test?
Nothing is charged. You see which lessons to read again and can retake the test as often as you need.
When do I pay, and how much?
Only after you pass: £12 for the certificate. The course and the test are free.
How does my employer check the certificate?
Every certificate has a number and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the number on our check page, shows your name, the course and the date you passed.
How long is the certificate valid?
The law sets no expiry date. The NHS Core Skills Training Framework suggests basic infection control training is refreshed every three years, and every year for staff in direct patient care, so the certificate shows a renewal date three years after you pass. Your employer may ask for refresher training more often.
The certificate confirms that you completed this course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification; your employer decides whether this training meets their requirements.