Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

H ere are some of the most frequently asked questions on compli- ance: HTM 01-05 is advisory, do I have to comply? The legal stuff is in the Health Act 2006. This act, which is the law, lays down compli- ance criterion which have to be implemented either through HTM 01-05 or through an- other method which you can prove to an inspecting body is just as effective as HTM 01- 05. Do you have such a meth- od? If not then you should to implement HTM 01-05. What’s the difference between Essential Requirements and Best Practice? Surprisingly little. Best Practice says that you should replace manual cleaning with a wash- er disinfector, that your stor- age and record keeping should be of a better standard, allowing traceability, and that you should have a separate decontamina- tion area. Once you’ve seen the problems associated with the full manual cleaning pro- cedure you may well surmise that it’s easier and cheaper to buy a washer disinfector. You don’t yet need to comply with Best Practice but you should have a written plan to show how you are going to move to- wards it, and you should imple- ment Best Practice wherever possible. Do I have to use a washer disinfector? No, but it is best practice and strongly recommended. if you don’t then you should comply with the full manual wash- ing procedure in HTM 01-05 3.16 (assuming you don’t have an alternative method that satisfies the inspecting body, see above). Compliance to this procedure is difficult and time consuming. Do you constantly monitor the water tempera- ture with a non-mercury ther- mometer? Use only a single use long handled brush? Clean each instrument and then inspect each one under an il- luminated magnifying source? Are you rinsing with RO or distilled water? Check the full procedure in Section 3.16 and decide if you can or want to implement this. Beware, non- compliant manual cleaning is rife. Do I have to use a vacuum autoclave? Read Section 4. If you are steri- lising lumened, wrapped, or pouched instruments then it’s pretty clear that you should. Seek and apply manufacturer’s advice. Do I need to have a full de- contamination room? No, it is ideal but if for practical reasons you cannot then HTM 01-05 does not insist upon it. What tests do I have to per- form on my decontamination equipment? There are daily, weekly, quar- terly, and annual checks and tests on the performance of your equipment that must be carried out and documented. The required standards are de- tailed in HTM 01-05, Section 3. Seek further advice. How should I treat my hand pieces? Section 2 makes it clear that you should clean and steri- lise after each patient. From a practical point of view you may want to consider a dedicated hand piece steriliser because washer disinfectors may de- grade the performance of your hand pieces. For further advice call Pres- tige Medical on 01254 844 103 or email sales@prestigemedi- cal.co.uk DT CQC visit on the horizon? Prestige Medical provides some basic advice on compliance with HTM 01-05. September 5-11, 200918 United Kingdom EditionFeature For effective infection control, the UltraClean II Washer Disinfector Dryer helps you protect your patients, your staff and your reputation. Patient safety rests in your hands • Fully compliant to EN 15883 and HTM2030 – the recommended ‘best practice’ standard • High load capacity and only 30p per cycle for fast, cost-effective cleaning • Optional data logger or printer for easy, recordable data capture – essential for compliance • Automated process using the special clip trays supplied helps eliminate sharps injuries Designed as the first step in an integrated decontamination process, the UltraClean II prepares your hand pieces better than many other methods. Fast, efficient and very thorough, it washes, cleans, disinfects and dries – leaving instruments spotless and ready for sterilization. INTEGRATED DECONTAMINATION SOLUTIONS INTEGRATED DECONTAMINATION SOLUTIONS • Automated process using the special Prestige Medical – the first company with a series of solutions to ensure you stay on the right side of compliance with legislation. Products include decontamination cabinetry and furniture, washer disinfectors, autoclaves and sterilizers, data recorders and printers. We can also provide advice on the latest guidelines. For more information Tel: 01254 844 103 E: sales@prestigemedical.co.uk www.prestigemedical.co.uk