§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what role he has in the selection of registered authorised persons who monitor sterilisation services in the NHS; and what funding his Department gives them. [R] [143956]
§ Mr. DenhamThe register of Authorised Persons (Sterilizers) AP(S) is maintained by the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management who have delegated authority from the Department to do this. The Department retains ultimate responsibility through National Health Service Estates. To become registered as an AP(S), candidates must pass a 5-facet selection process, which includes examination and interview.
718WUnder the current arrangements NHS Trusts employ the services of the AP(S) directly and pay for this from their operational budgets. There are no central funding mechanisms in place for this service.
NHS Estates has initiated a 5-yearly review of the current structure against a strategy of minimising risk for the NHS. This will include discussions with the NHS and industry and may result in revision of the existing structure and/or the development of a completely new infrastructure. The review will be completed later this year.