The likelihood and implication of cross infection would determine how stringent you are with your technique of prevention and decontamination for infection control.

The spread of a common cold for instance would certainly be inconvenient but it would be classified as low risk and relatively harmless to a normal person.

However exposure to tuberculosis would certainly be considered high risk because this infection has far more implications. It is good practice to identify these patients in advance; infectious patients should be given the final appointment of the day as the equipment can then be dismantled and disinfected immediately.

Consider also immunocompromised patients. These may be given the first appointment of the day immediately following disinfection. In other words, infectious and immunocompromised patients should be put at the opposite ends of the clinic to avoid contact.

The request form should allow disclosure of any potential infectious diseases. However, the assumption that every patient is infective is a good policy to apply.

Infectious patients should be given the final appointment of the day as the equipment can then be dismantled and disinfected immediately

Referral forms are not always filled in comprehensively with the infectious status often incomplete. Consider also that between seeing the referring physician and attending their spirometry appointment there is a chance your patient may have contracted an infection.

Sufficient precautions ‘as far as reasonably practicable’ such as barrier filters should be utilised to prevent the patient coming into direct contact with the equipment.

Sinks with soap and hand towels must be easily accessible as well as alcohol gel or foam dispensers. Hand washing facilities should also be available for patients in the department.