Increased training and the retention of experienced staff are key issues that must be addressed in sterile services. Last year, speakers at the Institute of Decontamination Sciences’ annual conference highlighted the need for trained and dedicated staff. Moreover, a high turnover of staff is resulting in lost opportunities to build valuable knowledge in key aspects of decontamination. Skills such as instrument recognition, for example, are developed through years of experience, yet the turnover of staff in some units is reported to be two to three years. Decontamination training provider, Eastwood Park, is currently lobbying for a national career framework and believes this will have an important contribution towards the retention of experienced sterile services professionals, ensuring their work is valued and that high standards are maintained within the sector.
Achieving recognition
In the UK, there are currently gaps in the provision of training which may be attributed to cost issues or a lack of awareness of the qualifications available. However, it is hoped that by encouraging the attainment of recognised professional qualifications, sterile services will be put on a similar footing to other professions in the health service – providing a level playing field and recognition for the type of work undertaken in sterile services departments (SSDs). “Decontamination technicians do not always see themselves as having a career path in this sector. Some staff, who enter the profession at a relatively unskilled level, are unaware of the opportunities for career progression in this area of science – probably due to a lack of career structure,” Eastwood Park’s CEO, John Thatcher, commented. “There needs to be appropriate training in place to support career progression, which is currently lacking. At present, employers decide on the framework for development of staff competencies, but I believe there needs to be a mandatory staff development programme on a national scale. This is not just an issue in decontamination, but across healthcare support services. There is far more structure and regulation in clinical areas and greater provision of opportunities for progression and development.” John Thatcher pointed out that sterile services staff work in departments that, in many cases, operate 24-hours per day, in an environment where one mistake has the potential to cost lives. “This puts a lot of pressure on people, particularly if they are not appropriately supported, inducted and trained,” he continued. “There is an opportunity for training providers, professional bodies, organisations such as Skills for Health and the Learning and Skills Council, as well as Trusts, to come together to establish appropriate competencies that can be accredited, along with apprenticeships, achieving endorsement from the Department of Health. “Training is somewhat fragmented across the UK, with some areas working to different standards, so there needs to be a more coherent approach,” added Sue Peckham, Eastwood Park’s training manager (decontamination). “In dental decontamination, variations in practices are particularly apparent and this is a key area which could be improved with appropriate training for staff and managers.”
Enhanced training opportunties
With these issues in mind, Eastwood Park has been seeking to establish a coherent set of qualifications to allow staff to progress, while remaining in the decontamination science area. The training provider (in association with the Department of Health; the Sector Skills Council Skills for Health; the Institute of Decontamination Sciences; City & Guilds and the Learning and Skills Council) now offers a workbased NVQ Level 3 qualification in the health decontamination pathway. The NVQ enables individuals to obtain an appropriate accreditation proving competence in the roles they are undertaking. It also focuses on developing additional skills, knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the decontamination cycle. Eastwood Park also runs courses to assist senior staff improve their skills in successfully overseeing vital medical instrument decontamination processes. This training will significantly improve understanding, enabling managers to become more effective in their role. The decontamination lead courses, in both acute and non-acute sectors, are for those heading a strategic operational team, placing emphasis on the importance of performing the decontamination lead role to the standards set out in relevant Health Technical Memorandum (HTM). The programme reflects a number of the issues raised at the recent IDSc conference, where compliance with guidelines; traceability and availability of instruments; and investment in training were all identified as priority areas. Eastwood Park’s course is designed for those who are operationally responsible for decontamination within a Trust or PCT and highlights the need for audit and quality systems. It will assist those who need to strategically plan and report on decontamination operations at board level. It also provides an overview of all types of decontamination equipment and complements the other courses in the decontamination portfolio. The sterile services department supervisors/manager’s course is for effective management and production of all sterile services and goods, as set out in HTM 2010/2030, and HTM 01-01 Part A. The decontamination of flexible endoscopes (HTM 01-06) course will help improve the management skills of endoscope washer-disinfector users, decontamination leads and estate managers. (All of these courses are City & Guilds accredited). The first group of students to complete Eastwood Park’s two year Medical Technologies Foundation Degree have also now graduated. The Medical Technologies Foundation Degree was established in 2007, in partnership with Kingston University and in association with the Department of Health, Sector Skills Councils, SEMTA, Skills for Health, the MHRA, IHEEM, IPEM and IDSc. The qualification is the next level on from NVQ level 3 in decontamination and enables students to access the Medical Technologies Management BSc honours degree. Sue Peckham, commented: “It is vital that those in charge of significant medical instrument decontamination operations have a broad and sound understanding of the practical decontamination processes. Our courses include microbiological testing as well as audit and quality control measures right through to strategic planning and reporting.” Ultimately, the goal of enhanced professional training is to improve patient safety, as Sue Peckham pointed out: “In recent years, the issues of patient safety and infection control have come to the fore, and training in decontamination outcomes. It is crucial that staff know the dangers both to themselves, associated with working in a hazardous environment, as well as to patients, if they do not do their jobs properly. They need to develop a good understanding of what they are doing and, importantly, why they are doing it.” John Thatcher concluded: “It is vital that each industry – and in particular the healthcare sector – view training holistically, as it needs industry leaders to drive a cohesive and structured training programme with clear continuity and career development. The onus is on us to work with influential industry leaders to create learning opportunities and qualifications that are consistent, relevant and flexible. These can then be delivered through blended learning and based on national occupational standards fit for today’s growing professions.”