The decontamination of near patient equipment and medical devices is crucial to the prevention of healthcare associated infection (HAI). In recent years the Scottish Government have issued guidance and Health Department Letters to provide NHS Boards with information to ensure that this type of equipment is dealt with in line with current standards and guidance.
This page is divided into sections to ensure that staff with a direct responsibility for particular equipment, have the most up-to-date information and training available. Decontamination practice is continually evolving and those with a responsibility for decontamination need to ensure that they are aware of current developments.
If you require advice from the Decontamination Sub-Group please complete the attached Advice Request Form and return to ggc.infectioncontroldecontamination@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.
Useful Resources
Endoscopy
This document has been prepared to provide guidance on the technical requirements for the decontamination of flexible endoscopes and the options available. The document is intended to summarise key information on best practice in a manner which is readily accessible to the user/manager.
This guidance has been prepared by utilising published guidance from expert bodies, existing best practice guidance and standards, both published and in draft form. Many of the referenced standards are harmonised standards in respect of the Medical Device Directive.
Creutzfeldt Jacob Disease (CJD)
Caused by unconventional agents thought to be infectious proteins – known as prions. Disease in humans are:
- Sporadic – classical
- Familial – including Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI) and Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker (GSS)
- Acquired – iatrogenic, variant.
There is evidence that these disorders can be transmitted in specific situations associated with medical interventions, e.g. transfusion of contaminated blood and blood products, surgery with contaminated instruments. During routine clinical care, Standard Precautions are sufficient to prevent cross-infection in healthcare settings. Transmission Based Precautions must be applied when operations or specific invasive procedures are to be undertaken on high-risk tissues or patients identified as being at risk of vCJD.
Guidance from the ACDP TSE Risk Management Subgroup (formerly TSE Working Group) is the most-up-to date guidance on this topic, provided by the Department of Health.
See also the NHSGCC CJD SOP.