COVER STORY: Let’s elevate the status of decontamination

Within the industry, decontamination may not boast glamour, yet it possesses a broad spectrum of knowledge. Spanning across microbiology, chemistry, hydrology, disinfection, and sterilisation, its complexity is evident. Beyond the procedural aspects, there’s a labyrinth of machinery to navigate, washer disinfectors, sterilisers, and reverse osmosis plants each demanding skilled maintenance and validation requirements. Amidst all this, the paramount concern remains: the well-being of patients, highlighting the indispensable role of decontamination for providing safe medical devices.

While decontamination departments may not directly interact with patients, their indispensable knowledge and expertise are fundamental for ensuring equipment is available for diagnostics, treatments, procedures, and surgeries. It’s imperative to elevate the recognition of decontamination within healthcare, highlighting its crucial role in managing and achieving daily tasks to ensure the availability of clean medical devices, essential for saving lives. The provision of safe instrumentation relies heavily on the dedicated efforts of individuals across various roles in these departments, encompassing managers, engineers, quality assurance personnel, transportation staff, and indispensable technicians

Elevating the visibility of an industry presents a formidable challenge, yet it commences with refining the roles within it. One effective approach to bolster and nurture personnel within a department is through the adoption of Continuous Personal Development (CPD). This straightforward concept entails the ongoing acquisition and enhancement of skills, knowledge, and competencies essential for an individual’s role.