§ Dr. MurrisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to monitor health and safety standards in operating theatres. [25358]
§ Ms BlearsThe statutory responsibility for managing health and safety, including operating theatres, lies with the chief executive of a national health service trust.
The Department has introduced controls assurance standards as part of performance management arrangements. There are 21 controls assurance standards including a health and safety standard, medical devices standard, infection control standard and a decontamination of medical devices standard.
678WThe controls assurance health and safety management standard requires that individual departments have health and safety policies, which address their own specific health and safety concerns.
NHS trusts are required to undertake risk assessment and the implementation of action plans against criteria defined in the controls assurance standards. NHS trusts must include a controls assurance statement in their annual report.