DECONTAMINATION
DECONTAMINATION
www.inside-hospitals.co.uk
www.inside-hospitals.co.uk
“One call does it all” E
ven the best equipment can fail when faced with the 24/7 operation demanded in a busy sterile services department - that’s when a reliable service that gets you up and running fast is essential. George Needham, sterile services manager at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, told Inside Hospitals how the showpiece decontamination facility’s workload has increased significantly and about the key role played by its validation and service provider Audere Medical Services. “Production has improved and increased dramatically over
George Needham (left) with Ken Milner, director Audere Medical Services
recent years,” explained George. “We processed 163,500 trays in the last financial year.” This has been increasing year on year since 2007 when George joined the huge Midlands trust. Previously at Glenfield Hospital, part of Leicester Hospitals NHS Trust and subsequently the trust’s sterile services manager, George was already working with Audere Medical Services and was pleased to find it was the service provider at Coventry too.
Audere technicians have PDAs to ensure a fast response to call-outs and full traceability of the job
00 October 2010 Inside Hospitals
With the trust serving a population of over one million, the department supports over 30 operating theatres at University Hospital, Coventry; Hospital of St Cross, Rugby; and the adjacent BMI Meridan private hospital - so a reliable planned and preventive maintenance service is critical. “One call solves the problem,” explained George. “And the quality of Audere’s staff is impeccable. There’s a quick response facility in place for urgent breakdowns, the engineers solve the problem or ask for advice from a colleague if required. So within minutes of arriving on site they know what to do and the service is traceable. They respect our environment too - the engineers are very safety conscious in that they always ensure they leave the areas clean and tidy. When they are on-site they do a first class job. Communication between staff and the engineers is also very good. “I find the response from Audere’s head office is excellent - impeccable, very friendly - I’ve never had a problem,” added George. “They return calls, with answers from Ken or Gareth (the directors) if required.” Audere is responsible for the validation, service and maintenance of the department’s washer-disinfectors, autoclaves and steam generators, together with validation of two gas plasma machines and has full responsibility for two AERs in theatres. “The work went out to tender
surgery, amongst other duties. “The staffs here are very professional and efficient. We always involve staff in making any changes to the department to improve the processes and systems. “Our staff training is paramount to the development of the department and is provided on-site. Staffs are trained to NVQ Level 3 Decontamination standards. At present three staff has gained this qualification and six more are undertaking this course.” George added: “We have invested in new technology by upgrading the Sterrad gas plasma sterilizers. Further investment has been made available for new washer/ disinfectors and for new autoclaves in the future on a replacement programme.” The department has George Needham, sterile services manger University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, and welcomed a large Lynn Friday, deputy manager number of visitors from the UK and abroad to have a look at the Sterrad will continue to develop. There 100NX Steriliser. Audere do the have been improvements in weekly tests on this equipment. quality and the ergonomics of Describing the increase in the department since Inside Hospitals first reported on the production, deputy manager, impressive facility back in 2005. Lynn Friday said; “The “The department employees department’s throughput has 63 staff and is open Monday to doubled over recent years.” Friday 24-hours a day and from Lynn is responsible for the ISO 8am to 9pm on Saturday and standards throughout the Sunday,” said George. “We department ready for the have two co-ordinators who external auditors, Audere provide training certificates for specialise in different fields of their engineers to support the surgical instrumentation, one in internal audits. orthopaedics and one in general
two years ago,” said George. “Audere retained the contract. Knowing Ken and his team for 18 years helps, but they gave a better submission and impressed the team on the tender board on cost, the quality of products they were using - all brand new parts from the manufacturer - and the excellent service from the skilled engineers.” It’s a three year contract, with a further two years for continuation, and during that time equipment and procedures
Audere a bespoke validation example, we work package exclusively used by our directly for George, engineers. doing the weekly, “Minimising the risk of any quarterly and annual human error through data input maintenance and interpretation, the system validation, together delivers consistency across the with all the on-call board - ensuring equipment is service, 24/7, 365.” tested and validated to the same Describing the standard. Wherever you are, the efficiency and traceability of the call- report will be the same. It’s all managed - no errors.” out procedure, Ken The TQ-Audere system said: “For the With George Needham are (left to right) Val Hillage, provides clients with options for customer it’s just one technician, Elaine Buswell and Sharon Rouse, CSSD printed or electronic versions of call, one contact. The supervisors. Elaine has 21 years experience with the department. Val and Sharon have passed NVQ Level the report and enables AE(d)s to engineers all work 3 Decontamination easily determine if the with PDAs. When a equipment has passed the customer calls, the job specified tests. having worked on washergoes straight onto the system The highly qualified disinfectors and sterilizers at the and is sent to the engineer’s King’s Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi PDA. He accepts the job, puts in engineers and office staff certainly deliver a high standard Arabia. “When I came back to his ETA, and logs on when he the UK, I worked with a leading arrives onsite. of service. Like any ISO9001 : “Once the work is completed decontamination equipment 2008 accredited company, we close the job and the system manufacturer for four years on Audere is audited externally sends the customer an e-mail to installation and service,” said each year, and each year it has Steve. “After joining won the BenchmarkQ Audere in 2003, I Gold Award for customer trained at Eastwood care. Park, Falfield. We’re “We don’t know which normally working in customers they contact, so our regions, so it’s consistently achieving the largely the Midlands Gold Award is a real for me too, but I have testament to the quality of been to Liverpool, the team and their Crewe, Manchester and dedication,” said Ken. Currently logging over Dumfries. one million kilometres a “If there’s a problem year, with decontamination we get the customer On site were Audere technicians Andy Sumner service contracts across the back up and running as (left) and Steve Hinks Co-ordinators Lilly Carroll (left) and Mandy Price, country, Audere is quickly as possible.” with George Needham changing its vehicles to On hand too was advise that the job is completed. drivee - Volvo’s electric Audere director Ken “The University Hospitals The invoice is prepared against stop/start system. The company Milner, who explained: “These Coventry and Warwickshire guys are typical of the 22 the job and checked before it’s will soon achieve its target of NHS Trust SSD department is engineers around the country, sent to the hospital. So the reducing carbon emissions by the busiest department I work all Eastwood Park and system has full traceability.” 32%. on, the largest amount of manufacturer trained. Any The latest techniques and “As the largest independent equipment - four washerspares the technicians order technology have been a key service and validation disinfectors, five sterilizers and from the main stores are component in Audere’s success. organisation in the UK, we’re steam generators and the gas despatched by overnight “We use data loggers for working with NHS trusts, PCTs, plasma machines. We’re also delivery. And the spares are all validation work and the PDAs PFIs, private healthcare, responsible for the two AERs in manufacturer generated goods. for remote monitoring of the universities and research theatres.” “We can offer a service staff,” said Ken. “Working with laboratories,” added Ken. “We’re on the NHS Supply Andy’s colleague Steve across the decontamination Richard Bridger of TQ Chain Framework Agreement Hinks brings regal experience portfolio. At this Trust, for Solutions, we developed TQand the National Framework for Scotland. “We’re as good as the job the engineers do. You need the right staff with good communications “To be bold” is the translation of skills and consistently winning decontamination industry. the Latin Audere, and that’s just the Gold Award shows that’s The team specialises in the installation, servicing, testing, what founders Ken Milner and what we’ve got.” Gareth Ken commissioning, validation, Gareth Jones have done. These The final word goes to Jones Milner calibration and upgrading of all one-time decontamination George Needham, who said: types of washer-disinfectors, colleagues have developed a team “The quality of the Audere staff manufacturers’ equipment. sterilizers, endoscope reprocessors of highly skilled engineers and is impeccable.” All work complies with the and decontamination equipment. support staff who deliver such a For further information, call necessary protocols incorporating The nationwide team of consistently high level of service Audere Medical Services on HTM 2010, HTM 2030, including technicians and engineers are all that the company has rapidly 01291 671271, e-mail steam quality testing to HTM qualified Authorised Engineers grown to become the largest info@auderemedical.co.uk or 2031, IQ, OQ and PQ standards visit www.auderemedical.co.uk (Decontamination) and trained for independent service and validation
Onsite during Inside Hospitals’ visit were two local technicians from Audere Medical Services, Andy Sumner and Steve Hinks. So how experienced are these guys? “I started work in decontamination Walsall Manor Hospital more than a decade ago, taking courses at Eastwood Park, Falfield - washerdisinfection and sterilizer maintenance, and qualified as a Test Person. I was a trainee manager at Walsall for three years, before joining Audere.” explained Andy Sumner, whose personal development has seen him gain full membership of IDSc in 2008. “I’m based in Walsall. Most of my work is around the Midlands - Coventry and Warwickshire - but I do work farther afield across the whole of the UK.
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ENQUIRY NO. 000 Inside Hospitals October 2010 00
Audere Medical Services Limited Specialists in Decontamination Technology
Sterilizers Washer Disinfectors Automated Endoscope Reprocessors Ultrasonics
Audere Medical Services Ltd Oak Suite Llancayo Court Usk South Wales NP15 1HY
Tel. +44 (0)1291 671271 Fax. +44 (0)1291 673007
Email. info@auderemedical.co.uk www.auderemedical.co.uk
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Gas Plasma