§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if there is a list of approved contractors dealing with medical waste from hospitals. [20768]
§ Mr. HoramThere is not a central list of approved contractors for disposal of clinical waste. It is for each national health service trust or contracting authority to satisfy itself, prior to any invitation to tender, that those invited to bid have the capability to meet the required technical, financial and quality performance standards.
§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on how many occasions in the past five years letters have been sent by the National Health Service Estates agency to NHS hospital trusts about medical waste management; [20789]
(2) what reviews of waste management procedures the National Health Service Estates agency has asked each NHS hospital trust to undertake; [20790]
(3) if he will publish the guidelines for the disposal of medical waste form (a) hospitals, (b) nursing homes, (c) mortuaries, (d) doctors' surgeries and (e) veterinary surgeries. [20759]
§ Mr. HoramThe National Health Service Estates agency has issued five guidance documents and two estates policy letters to the NHS in the past five years. They relate to NHS bodies obligations under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and their duty of care in relation to the disposal of clinical waste. These are specifically aimed at hospitals and primary care services. The NHS Estates agency is not responsible for issuing guidance to private nursing homes or veterinary surgeries.
As waste producers, NHS bodies' are bound to ensure that waste is disposed of safely and properly. Enforcement of the Act is, however, the responsibility of the local environmental health department. The NHS Estates agency does not have responsibility for reviewing procedures.
754WThe guidance documents are:
- Health Guidance Note—Clinical Waste Incineration Joint Venture Arrangements (March 1995);
- Health Guidance Note—Safe Disposal of Clinical Waste Whole Hospital Policy (April 1995);
- Strategic Guide for Waste Management (March 1991);
- Strategic Guide to Clinical Waste Management (January 1994);
- Health Service Guidelines HSG(94)50 Clinical Waste Management (December 1994).
The estates policy letters, EPL(92)8 and EPL(95)33 reminded the NHS of the previous guidance.
Copies of the guidance will be placed in the Library shortly.
§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the tendering procedures for the disposal of medical waste from hospitals. [20791]
§ Mr. HoramTendering procedures for the disposal of clinical waste from hospitals should be in accordance with the Public Services Contract Regulations 1993 (SI 1993/3228) and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. In addition, the National Health Service Estates agency has issued guidance on medical waste management.