United Kingdom introduces HTM 01-05 guidelines with 12-month timeframe

The United Kingdom has released HTM 01-05 Decontamination in Primary Care Dental Practices, incorporating test procedures from the international standard for washer/disinfectors: ISO EN 15883 parts 1, 2, and 5.

This is aimed at helping dentists achieve the monitoring and "decontamination of instruments and dental equipment in a safe and responsible manner." It also contains suggestions to help dentists achieve targets stated within 12 months.

"Best Practice" includes:

1. Replacing manual washing with validated washer/disinfectors
2. Enhancing the distinction between clean and dirty workflows
3. Instrument storage that reduces exposure to air/pathogenic contamination

New procedures also include self-auditing of automated washer/disinfectors and processes the HTM guidelines specify that "failure to carry out routine periodic tests and maintenance tasks could compromise safety and have legal and insurance-related implications for the Registered Manager."

Medisafe's portfolio of equipment, software, and accessories allows dental practices to achieve HTM 01-05 compliance.

A few examples of this include:

* The Medisafe Pico washer/disinfector. With drying and flushing options, this enables practices to fulfill all stages of the automated cleaning criteria in one cycle: flush, wash, rinse, thermally disinfect, and dry in accordance with HTM 01-05; 3.14.

* The Pico Tower helps small practices maximize on compact or awkward spaces, by stacking multiple systems. This helps you simply separate clean and dirty workflows, HTM 01-05 4.28, and contains storage areas ideal for standardizing the flow of instruments while reducing exposure to air, HTM 01-05 5.1.

*The Medisafe range of testing devices for washers, ultrasonics, and autoclaves allow you to check and document machine performance quickly and easily, HTM 01-05 4.13.

For more information, go to Medisafe.

To read more about Medisafe, go to Medisafe.

To comment on this subject, go to PennWell Dental Community site.