THOUGHT L EADE RSHI P
Challenges and opportunities for SSDs
Louise Frampton recently interviewed the new chair of the Central Sterilising Club (CSC), Jimmy Walker, on his views on the challenges and opportunities facing sterile services departments (SSD) – from reprocessing PPE and COVID-19, to innovation and training. He provided an insight into the efforts of CSC to advance decontamination science – through research, forums and education.
The chair of the CSC, Jimmy Walker, recently reflected on the changes that sterile services departments (SSDs) have faced during the pandemic. These are unprecedented times as SSDs and endoscopy decontamination units, across the four nations, have experienced a significant decrease in demand for instrument reprocessing. On the other side, nursing staff have been redeployed to help within critical care areas due to the increased number of patients requiring hospitalisation due to COVID-19. This is one of the main reasons that there was a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) due to the increased number of staff required to wear full PPE. The NHS has had to re-skill the SSD workforce and as CSJ’s latest survey shows, decontamination staff have adapted, supported colleagues, and embraced change.
Jimmy spoke about SSDs historically being seen as a “Cinderella service”, with many departments previously working in basements in cramped conditions: “I was involved with a number of surveys of sterile services departments in the late 1990s. We visited a number of departments that had received limited investment over decades. I’m pretty sure that some departments that looked appropriate then are perhaps requiring new investment now. SSDs and facilities must be fit for purpose to be able to deliver a service that is safe for staff to
work in as well as ensuring the safety of patients. Departments need to become more efficient and be ready to meet the challenges of the new eras ahead. As such continued investment is vital to keeping SSD departments at the forefront of technology and innovation.”
He added that space in hospitals is always at a premium and may lead to an increase in some Trusts outsourcing decontamination workloads to third party supercentres and/or other Trusts. Smaller
As we return to a new ‘normal’ and theatres start to catch up with backlogs, SSDs will face an enormous challenge. They will need to be managed to ensure they can cope.
APRIL 2021
‘cottage’ hospitals may not receive the investment they need to upgrade.
Continuous need for investment “As we return to ‘normal’ and theatres start to catch up with backlogs, SSDs will face an enormous challenge. They will need to be managed to ensure they can cope. Investment will be required to enable the NHS to catch up – not just in terms of investment in sterile services staff, but in equipment and facilities as well,” he commented.
As the NHS steps up to meet the backlog, the NHS is expected to see increased investment in state-of-the-art theatres which will be “larger, more efficient and with more throughput”. Jimmy pointed out that this will mean more instruments passing through the SSD. As Trusts invest in new surgical departments, he highlighted the need to
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