Infection Shield Launches Leadership Readiness Checklist for Ontario Long-Term Care Homes

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, October 8, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Infection Shield Consulting, a firm that specializes in infection prevention and control (IPAC) consulting, has launched a new leadership readiness checklist for Ontario long-term care homes. The checklist, designed to help administrators and clinical teams ensure the continuity of their IPAC programs, is aimed at addressing potential gaps in leadership when key personnel are unavailable.

The checklist, which is free for use, is intended to help long-term care homes evaluate their current IPAC programs. It is organized into four key areas: accountable leadership, continuity and backup coverage, daily evidence of implementation, and escalation pathways. By using this tool, homes can identify decisions that still depend on a single person, clarify who should act when the lead is unavailable, and determine which unresolved items require executive attention.

The Ontario Regulation 246/22 mandates that licensed long-term care homes maintain an infection prevention and control program, use an interdisciplinary team approach, and designate an IPAC Lead with defined responsibilities. The regulation also sets minimum on-site IPAC Lead time according to licensed bed capacity and requires licensees to oversee a quality-management program that assesses and improves IPAC.

Infection Shield Consulting's Founder and President, Dr. Kamyab Ghatan, emphasized the importance of having a robust IPAC program that can function without relying on a single individual.

The new checklist is being introduced ahead of National Infection Control Week, observed in Canada from October 19 to 23, 2026. Infection Shield is encouraging homes to use the week as a focused opportunity to bring the IPAC Lead, administrator, nursing leadership, medical director, and quality team together for a short continuity review.

Homes that identify unclear ownership, overdue actions, or weak backup coverage can request a structured IPAC Leadership Readiness Review from Infection Shield Consulting. The review can be scoped to leadership responsibilities, continuity arrangements, documentation, and the follow-through process for audit and surveillance findings. It is not a regulatory inspection or a guarantee of compliance.

Infection Shield Consulting provides independent infection prevention and control consulting, assessments, education, and improvement support for long-term care, retirement, dental, veterinary, and health-care construction settings. Its work helps organizations identify practical gaps, prioritize corrective actions, and strengthen day-to-day implementation.