§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to ensure that surgical instruments used in NHS hospitals are sterile. [123724]
§ Yvette CooperThe Department and the National Health Service are aware of the need to maintain high quality decontamination procedures to ensure that surgical instruments used in NHS hospitals are sterile. In August 1999, as part of the Department's initiatives on Infection Control, particularly relating to the risks posed by surgical instruments, a comprehensive package of extant decontamination guidance was issued free of charge to all NHS Trusts under Health Service Circular (HSC) 1999/179 Controls Assurance in Infection Control: Decontamination of Medical Devices.
The HSC emphasised the importance of implementing existing guidance on the cleaning and sterilisation of medical devices. We have also asked NHS Estates (an executive agency of the Department of Health) to 328W undertake an assessment of current decontamination practices across healthcare sectors in England, including NHS hospitals. The review is due to be completed at the end of June 2000. The need for further policy, advice and guidance will then be reviewed.