DECONTAMINATION SERVICES Key requirements
“At the design phase, the key factors were energy efficiency and the size of plant, as well as the quality of the equipment providers. We set up internal tenders to ensure the best value for the Trust. “Getinge were able to demonstrate that their solutions were cost-competitive, and they had the expertise to work with us on solutions such as condensate recovery for their equipment. Condensate is now being reused by the site, instead of being disposed of into the drain, thereby improving the environmental performance of the facility,” Rob commented.
The maintenance of the equipment was also a significant factor, as the Trust had a very strict key performance indicator (KPI) of 95% uptime on 80% of the specialist decontamination equipment. This was set at 80% as a proportion of the equipment is either under planned preventative maintenance (PPM), or testing and validation, each day. For the main plant, the uptime must exceed 95% uptime.
“If we fall below this KPI, there are financial penalties. CFES has staff on site seven days per week, and Getinge has staff on site five days per week, ensuring this level of performance is always achieved,” Rob explained.
The solution
Unlike most other NHS decontamination departments, the endoscopy and instrument decontamination services operate side by side within the same unit. The sterile services department has been designed utilising the latest technology, and there is an emphasis on ease of use, while ensuring the process flow, correct segregation, and integrity, between contaminated, decontaminated, and sterilised areas are maintained.
The supercentre required a complex and comprehensive M&E plant specification.
Getinge supplied a total of seven 86-series washer-disinfectors for the washroom. The S-8668 high capacity chamber accommodates up to 18 DIN trays per cycle, and is easy to load, operate, and maintain, improving employee workflows for increased efficiency.
Services and space have been allocated for a further four washers, to allow the Trust to ramp up capacity in the future. There are also two transfer hatches and ample space for operators, with 16 workstations available. A centralised dosing unit for liquid chemicals has been installed to enhance staff safety and improve efficiency.
The company has also installed six HS69 28cu ft pass-through sterilisers for the inspection and packing clean room. Once again, extra capacity has been planned for the future, with services
and space provided for a further two autoclaves.
For the endoscope reprocessing unit, Getinge has supplied six ED-Flow endoscope washer-disinfectors (EWDs). With 12 chambers and short cycles, the EWDs allow the site the capacity to reprocess up to 12 large flexible endoscopes in a 23 minute full cycle and benefit from a quick and efficient loading process, allowing a faster, more versatile and efficient flow of flexible endoscope. Provision has been made for a further two EWDs, when required in the future. A total of seven drying cabinets complete the installation.
Decontamination intelligence Tim Bryant, director of commercial strategy at Getinge, explained that an important aspect of the efficient management of the unit is the intelligent IT solution, which lies at the heart of the operation. With T-DOC software, the unit can achieve full traceability of instruments, endoscopes, pre-sterile and non-sterile goods to ensure regulatory compliance and high levels of quality assurance and patient safety. In addition, by ensuring each important step in the reprocessing cycle is monitored and enforced, the system provides the unit with auditable and historical
Getinge has supplied six ED-Flow endoscope washer-disinfectors. 56 Health Estate Journal May 2020
documentation for regulatory compliance. “After spending a lot of time with the Trust to understand their needs, we have developed 12 reports tailored to their requirements. It was important for the Trust to be able to measure performance and volume. In addition, as they take on more third-party work, they will need clear visibility of turnaround times, information for fast tracking sets, and clear data on how the instruments and scopes have been reprocessed. If a customer needs to know about a key set,
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