Preventing and reporting disease outbreaks 

Infectious disease outbreaks should be reported to UKHSA on 0300 3038162 or swhpt@ukhsa.gov.uk.

Examples of infectious diseases and national guidance on dealing with these can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/infectious-diseases-detailed-information

Guidance for education and care settings can be found here:

Good hygiene and infection control are vital in preventing the spread of infectious diseases.

Hand hygiene

Hand hygiene is one of the most important ways of controlling the spread of infections, especially those that cause diarrhoea or vomiting and respiratory infections.

Top tips for effective handwashing:

  • Use liquid soap, warm water, and paper towels.
  • Don’t use bars of soap.
  • Use alcohol hand gel if hands are not visibly dirty. Alcohol hand gel is not effective against organisms that cause gastroenteritis, such as norovirus.
  • Clean your hands after using the toilet, before eating or handling food, after playtime and after touching animals.
  • Cover cuts and abrasions with a waterproof dressing.

Read useful advice on:

Antibiotic resistance: what is it and what can we do about it?

Watch this video to find out what happened when schools and early years in Torbay used a light box machine to see how clean their hands are. This was filmed during Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Week in November 2024.

The public health team also took their lightbox to Brixham Hospital during AMR Week 2024 to talk to patients and visitors about good handwashing. They were joined by Torbay and South Devon Foundation Trust’s Dr Joanne Watson, who spoke about why it’s important to use antibiotics correctly. You can watch her in the video below:

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

See our Sexual Health page.