New Guidelines - Decontamination of flexible endoscopes and rigid endoscopes 2017

28 February 2017

The latest guidelines in Decontamination of flexible endoscopes and rigid endoscopes 2017 is now available to download via the members area.

Since the initial ENT UK guideline document, published in 2010, the Department of Health has updated their policy document on the decontamination of flexible endoscopes in March 2016 (Health Technical Memorandum: HTM 01-06). 

The DH update was published to take account of the recent changes to the ACDP-TSE (Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens – Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies) Subgroup’s general principles. The Subgroup’s guidance was updated in May 2015 and is now being continually updated. 

The documents aim to reflect the need for continuously improved outcomes in terms of patient safety, clinical effectiveness and patient experience. 

All healthcare organisations now have in place Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) teams and decontamination managers who will impose their own interpretation of the official guidelines, thus leading to significant differences in practice throughout the UK. 

Download the publication