Royal Preston Hospital department passes inspection with flying colours

The Sterile Services Department at the hospital. Pic: Lancashire Teaching Hospitals

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals sterile services department has passed an ISO external audit, revealing no major or minor non-conformities.

This means there are no deviations from specifications, standards or expectations in Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley and South Ribble Hospital.

The audit looked at standards set by the International Organisation for Standardisation, checking whether the hospital is still meeting the key elements.

Sterile Services is a specialist service in charge of managing all risks associated with healthcare-acquired infections and making sure reusable medical devices are decontaminated.

Staff working in the department clean, sterilise and repackage reusable equipment and instruments so they are ready to be used in operating theatres and other areas of the hospital.

Trust Decontamination Lead Sevvel Mariappan said: “The positive outcome of the audit reflects the high level of professionalism and adherence to quality that defines our department.

“I believe this achievement showcases our ongoing commitment to excellence in our operations. My sincere thanks go out to all who worked night and day to ensure that our department is running smoothly.

“We cannot operate if the standards are not maintained and upheld to carry out the work, so it is very important for Sterile Services that we meet all the criteria and make continuous improvements to pass the ISO external audit every year.

“Implementing systematic procedures can help eliminate problems, reduce patient cancellations, and minimise waiting times, ultimately leading to improved performance, strategic leadership, and increased staff engagement.

“Consequently, this can lead to the delivery of Trust-wide high-quality decontamination services.”

Subscribe: You can now opt-in to receive Blog Preston news updates through Whatsapp via this link and also keep updated on all things business in Preston on our LinkedIn page.