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COMMENT with HELEN CAMPBELL


Building the next generation of leaders


Helen Campbell, the education director for the Institute of Decontamination Sciences (IDSc), calls for action to attract and develop a new generation of healthcare scientists within the decontamination sector. Decontamination is still a ‘hidden’ service and there is still work to do to ensure


recruitment, retention, and development of staff within this important sector. The health service needs to look more closely at succession planning, to encourage and promote the take-up of apprenticeships, and to publicise decontamination science as a career. Without decontamination, theatres and endoscopy departments simply cannot function. As decontamination is not seen as a ‘go to’ destination, in terms of a career pathway, we need to undertake training within the industry and raise the profile of the profession. Decontamination has historically been seen as a ‘Cinderella’ service. While awareness has improved, there is still a long way to go. In particular, the demographics show there is going to be a real shortage of managers. A high percentage will be retiring in the next 5-10 years and, because it is a Cinderella service and there is poor awareness of the profession, we do not have a queue of people coming into the industry. Therefore, we need to ‘home grow’ our future managers, by enabling staff to take qualifications. It is also vital that we get new people in, at an early stage, and move them up the career path. By implementing and sustaining education and training programmes for its members, and those aspiring to work in the field, the IDSc aims to ensure high professional standards within the decontamination professions, with competent staff who can meet the technical and operational challenges of medical device decontamination. There is now a career path and qualifications to support this, but we need to raise


About the author


Dr. Tim Sandle is a pharmaceutical microbiologist, science writer and journalist. He is also a tutor with the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Manchester for the university’s pharmaceutical microbiology MSc course, and he lectures on sterile products at University College London. Dr. Sandle has served on several national and international committees relating to pharmaceutical microbiology and cleanroom contamination control (including the ISO cleanroom standards and the National Blood Service advisory cleaning and disinfection committee).


awareness of the training opportunities and of the profession in general. For those who want to get on and advance towards management in decontamination, the Level 3 qualification looks at the science behind the processes. A Level 4 qualification, which is an apprenticeship, is the first step onto management – ideal for deputy manager level, where they can accept machinery back into the department after it has been serviced, for example. They are signing that the machine is safe to use, so it is vital that they have the in-depth knowledge to make such decisions. We are also working on a module for a degree for manager level and are looking to work with a university to implement this. The course work has been developed and we expect this to become a reality within the next five years. The aim is for decontamination to become one of the specialisms within the healthcare science degree. We are also currently writing a new qualification for endoscopy as well – which we hope will be a Level 3 qualification. This will ensure staff will fully understand the ramifications of any deviations from best practice, and thoroughly understand the process. It will also enable them to challenge. Often decontamination staff do not have the confidence to challenge clinical colleagues or manufacturers when it is necessary. If you have a recognised qualification, you can evidence your knowledge on the subject matter, and this will help build confidence when having difficult conversations. Whether it is the ability to question a rep coming into the hospital about challenges relating to the decontamination of their medical devices or a lack of detail in their IFUs, or advising theatres or procurement that there is a problem around reprocessing certain technologies and instruments, these qualifications will help to empower decontamination staff. Decontamination departments are used to taking the blame and not fighting back. Education helps them to become more confident, to stand firm when it is needed. If you are empowered to challenge, you can prevent mistakes. We should also be talking with universities, the Government and the MHRA, to raise the


profile of decontamination as an industry. We need to get people interested in the sector and to work with other organisations to raise standards. Ultimately, we need to ensure it becomes a ‘go to’ career and receives the respect that it deserves.


August 2023 I www.clinicalservicesjournal.com 43


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