SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS
HTM 01-01 states that single use instruments should be the same quality as reusable ones.
dissecting forceps, which results in strands of cloth being snagged on the inside of the blades, particularly near to the block end where they are welded together. Nail cutters can prove to be very stiff to operate due to joints not being machined correctly. Scissors with the blades crossing over near the tips and given a spot of oil to make sure they cut as this is much quicker than setting them correctly. This can cause the scissors to jump when operated slowly. In some cases the oil (which may or may not be medical grade) can leave stains on the sterile field after the instrument has been sterilised. Quality control on incoming or outgoing products not carried out as it should be due to costs and pressure to complete an order. All these things add up to cost savings, which supposedly give the kit packer an advantage over their competitors, but none whatsoever in terms of a medical advantage to the patient.
Providing quality products
Single use instruments are being sold in good faith but they could be carrying a hidden enemy which is unseen by the human eye. Up until recently there was no reliable method available of checking their cleanliness in terms of manufacturing debris or protein. The new HTM 01-01 recognises the dangers of non-clean reusable instruments and has set an acceptable limit which many hospitals will aim to beat and achieve zero results. For those people that have read this important document it would seem that some of the detection methods used in the past have been shown to be insensitive for absorbing protein from the surface of an instrument. The HTM 01-01 also states that single use instruments should be the same quality as reusable ones and buyers need to focus on quality and not just price.
If hospitals start checking incoming sterile single use packs for cleanliness and quality and begin rejecting deliveries that fail on either, or both of these checks, it will help them avoid buying in a potential source of hospital acquired infection (HAI). Single use instruments made correctly can take a lot of the strain off a busy CSSD and give them more time to concentrate on maintaining high levels of reprocessing and a quick turnaround service. Quality single use procedure packs will also help infection control in their task of trying to reduce the chances of cross-infections and HAIs. There are so many positive gains to be made with single use instruments including stock control, ready to use packs with all the necessary components, accurate costing per procedure, traceability, accountability and prevention of cross-contamination for the patient and also the medical staff. Add to this the various off-site clinics and doctors’ surgeries with no reprocessing facilities and you can see why this market is predicted to continue expanding. Now is the time for manufacturers, kit packers, medical staff and purchasing departments to focus on providing quality healthcare via quality single use procedure packs. The manufacturers in Pakistan take great pride in the finishing quality of their products and want to see an end to the cut-price low
The new HTM 01-01 recognises the dangers of non-clean reusable instruments and has set an acceptable limit which many hospitals will aim to beat.
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quality single use instruments that have resulted in a price war where nobody really wins, including the end users. All that they ask is a fair price for their products based on quality and they will be able to deliver clean, well made disposable instruments to the kit packers and the patients.
About the author
Harry Gray has been the owner of Avondale Surgical UK since 2009. His entry in to the medical field began when he was invited to join a company which sold personal protective equipment (PPE) products over 20 years ago. The company exhibited powder free gloves at the National Association of Theatre Nurses (NATN) event in Harrogate and this is where Gray first met Matthew Peskett, managing director of Peskett Solutions Ltd. A chance miscall a few years later from the NHS gave Gray an entrance to the single use market and resulted in him spending some eight years travelling to and from Pakistan where he worked with one of the leading manufacturers and held meetings with UK kit packers. The time came when he wanted to move on and start his own company, which now focuses on sales to the Middle East. Gray’s regular contact with Peskett resulted in Avondale Surgical becoming the Middle East distributor for ProReveal.
SEPTEMBER 2017
CSJ
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