Publish date: 25 November 2022

Your infection prevention and control team doesn’t want to be the Ebenezer Scrooge of Christmas – we’re one Mersey Care work family, so offer guidelines for keeping everyone safe. If you’d like specific advice, please contact us on: 0151 295 3036 or 01925 664 851.

Trees used in any Mersey Care setting should be artificial. One Christmas tree per ward can be dressed and must be in an area of the ward that is away from high footfall, for example, the ward entrance. There should be no fresh or dried plants, flowers, grasses etc.

Decorations should not be placed in areas undertaking clinical activity such as treatment rooms. Decorations attract and harbor dust, (which contains skin cells, virus, and bacteria) so they shouldn’t be kept in place for long periods of time. We would respectfully ask that decorations are not put in place in clinical areas before December.

Decorations must not be hung on, or in front of, high touch points, for example, door handles. The use of spray-on fake snow is not permitted.

Christmas trees and many decorations cannot be cleaned. In the event of an outbreak or cases of infection illness, such as COVID-19, Flu or Norovirus in an area where Christmas decorations are on display, you may be advised to remove decorations. These decorations must be packed away or disposed of, depending on condition and material, through the appropriate waste stream.

Hampers for raffles are acceptable where the items are appropriately packed with a wipeable cover.

Parties and buffets in Mersey Care buildings will be permitted this year for our patients. However, we recommend good food hygiene practices:

  • Buffet food either served from the serving hatch pre-plated, or
  • Food to be individually wrapped on a buffet table, supervised by staff, hand hygiene strictly adhered to.

Please also consider other issues such as ligature risks and other safety measures in line with Trust policy.