Surgical Instruments
The Surgical Instruments SIS was formed on 17 February 1999. The terms of reference were:-
- To form an industry platform for contacts with the MDA and DH, to consider and debate regulatory affairs
- To pursue trading opportunities in liaison with the DTI
- To provide a forum for networking.
Key topics of current interest to all members include the following:-
- Consideration of recent developments arising from the introduction of single use instruments for tonsillectomies and their subsequent withdrawal
- Establishment of a standard format for re-processing instructions for reusable instruments and assessment of the appropriate process for validation. This work is ongoing, the working group responsible anticipates issuing a definitive procedure within the next two months
- Liaison with PaSA to facilitate the implementation and practicality of the framework agreement, which is intended to encompass all NHS purchases of reusable instruments for a two year period. A new working group is currently being established for this purpose.
The Section has considerable overlap of membership with the ABHI Instrument Tracking Working Group, and also follows the progress of the ABHI Decontamination Working Group. Minutes of both these groups are routinely circulated to all surgical instrument SIS members.
Meetings are held at four monthly intervals, alternating between London and Sheffield. All companies with an interest in the manufacture, distribution, re-processing and development of surgical instruments, whether single use or reusable, are welcome to attend, to ascertain for themselves the benefits of membership.