TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Training standards
engineering disciplines. The assessment will ask for levels of CPD for the discipline, recommend further training where deemed necessary, ask the nominated candidate to reflect on their practice within the decontamination field, and evaluate awareness/implementation of the organisational policies. The AP(D) role will require the nominated individuals to undertake formal assessment processes for CP(D)s working within the premises, and this will be a requirement for both direct and contract labour. Again, these protocols are consistent with disciplines such as Medical Gases/High Voltage/Low Voltage etc, and agreed assessment frequencies will be based upon the levels of confidence the AP(D) has with the CP(D) assessed. Review of training and recommendations for refresher packages must be a part of this assessment process, presenting a problem without formal recommendations through the HTMs. An argument may arise from organisations and service-providers over the need for this, but we should not be witnessing scenarios where engineers appear with certificates dating back to the 1990s. We must move forward as an industry to review this requirement. Indeed, the latest technical
harmony implementing these systems. The training establishments must review training offerings to encompass formal refresher options, along with periodic training and CPD packages from the individual equipment suppliers and/or online portals to supplement what is offered to individuals.
Conclusions Engineering governance is a requirement to
support the various healthcare services and sectors across the United Kingdom (both public and private). As a Technical Platform we must present the specification for the competency levels of personnel responsible for the environment and equipment. The templates are there; it’s about promoting consistency and changing the culture and the mindset within our industry – our service sector. Decontamination cannot be the ‘Cinderella
bulletin, issued in March 2024 (NHS Estates Technical Bulletin (NETB/2024/1) within Competency framework for staff working in sterile services and decontamination departments, has a section dedicated to training requirements for core personnel. Further discussions are to be held within the Decontamination Technical Platform to ensure
Acknowledgements Acknowledgements for support with the ongoing work with this pilot project:
Mark Furmage – AE(D).
Tomos Jones/Stuart Mitchell/Arwel Hughes and the AP(D) Group – Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
Simon Day and the AP(D) Group – Hywel Dda University Health Board. Jason Williams – Cwm Taf University Health Board. Decontamination Team – NWSSP/SES. All other Health Boards/Trusts within NHS Wales. All Wales Decontamination and Sterilization Advisory Group. AE(D) Registration Board – Graham Stanton and Brian Kirk. IHEEM. Eastwood Park Training. Isopharm (Agilio).
service’; it must be given identical due diligence to the other disciplines covered under the generic guidance, HTM 00: Policies and Principles of Healthcare Engineering. Many thanks for the ongoing commitment from Health Boards, Trusts, and several key individuals therein. NHS Wales is now in a more accountable position, and management teams and users have bought into the systems we request. Questions are asked about why we need these measures, but these often originates from a lack of understanding of modern healthcare requirements, and reluctance to change is always a challenge. It is acknowledged these are very difficult times to instigate changes where financial support will be necessary for training and resource; however, work will progress, and hopefully within two years the decontamination sector will have systems rivalling other Technical Platforms under the IHEEM umbrella.
John Prendergast Principal Decontamination Engineer, NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership - Specialist Estates Services
20 Health Estate Journal August 2024
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