Instrument decontamination in the NHS

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How are the NHS based staff getting on with the new guidelines that were set to start on the 1st April 2007? Surely an April Fools Jest!

Our service "piggy backed" on GP autoclaves as we are based in GP practices using shared treatment rooms and plenty of travelling between sites.

Now GPs are going single use and locally based autoclaves are being decommisioned as unsafe practice. This has meant trying to establish funds for NHS podiatry single use or CSSD packs, however our PCT is claiming it has no money to fund any such thing, but also other parts of same PCT is putting extreme pressure on to comply with regulations.

Anyone else in this Catch 22 or is it just me?

 

We have used a central DSDU service for about 4 years now and it works really well. The EU legislation governing bench top sterilisers is a reason to be able to apply to higher bodies eg DoH for money - originally designated as 'AIDS' money to ensure clean equipment. We use a few single use scalpels with blades but plastic and not so good as forceps and disposable scissors. We have custom made nail surgery packs, nail packs for footcare assistant use and care packs for pods. Plus a few odd bits like burrs and tubegauze applicators. Our clean and dirty instruments are taken via hospital transport to the DGH for the clean and re pack with a weekly order delivered without fail.