The Australian Standard AS/NZS 4187:2014 is the updated national standard that must be met by all hospitals and day procedure services for cleaning and sterilising (reprocessing) of surgical instruments and other reusable medical devices. It is crucial to the safety and wellbeing of the public that healthcare settings abide by the new regulations.
The Standard, which is applicable in Australia and New Zealand, was prepared by the Joint Technical Committee HE-023, Processing of Medical and Surgical Instruments. The Standard sets out strict requirements for reprocessing reusable medical devices in health service organisations, bringing Australian Standards closer to those upheld in Europe. There are strict deadlines, and, according to the latest Advisory, at minimum, all hospitals must now have a plan for implementation in place.
We have seen some big changes in the Standard since the update. We understand the new requirements, and what needs to be done to meet them. Talk to our team about where the changes have been and what they mean – We’re here to help.
In order to comply with the requirements of Action 3.17 – AS/NZS 4187:2014 your health organisation will need to take action with the following directions:
- Complete a gap analysis to determine the current level of compliance with AS/NZS 4187:2014 and document the findings.
- Document a detailed implementation plan specifying time-frames to enable full implementation of AS/NZS 4187:2014 by the relevant deadlines (see the latest Advisory AS18/07 for details).
- Implement the plan and demonstrate progress toward implementation.
Aquacure can help you to implement the new requirements by:
- Working together with the HSO in planning the water treatment requirements. This includes a site visit, meeting with stakeholders and reviewing the requirements. We can help to identify what you don’t have, and what you will need in terms of water requirements according to the AS4187:2014. There are many other elements that need to be considered when implementing the new requirements – and Aquacure will only be able to help with the water requirements.
- Aquacure can provide you with a quote for a suitable water treatment solution.
- Aquacure can install and maintain a suitable water treatment system.
- Aquacure can test the water quality to demonstrate compliance with the standard.
Obstacles to Compliance
There are many obstacles to meeting the new Standard by the end of 2024, including costs, the impact on surgery and the tight timeframe.
It may be necessary to shut down the CSSD during upgrade works. However, shutting down the CSSD has ramifications for the provision of surgery.
While some hospitals have chosen to time construction works during relatively quiet periods, and are able to suspend surgery for the duration of the upgrade project, this won’t be possible for everyone.
That means other solutions are needed, such as off-site surgical instrument reprocessing at a neighbouring facility, or installation of a temporary external solution on site, which could include installing a complete mobile or modular CSSD.
Installation time-frames can be especially challenging in the current environment. Fortunately, Aquacure is less affected by supply chain issues than most companies because we design and build our specialist CSSD water treatment plants in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Bespoke design and flexible installation also means we can tailor solutions to meet challenging sites.
Learn More
You can read more about understanding water treatment and requirements for the central sterile supply department (CSSD), and also some options for transitioning to compliance including the use of a mobile or modular CSSD in this article published in Healthcare Spaces.
Please don’t hesitate to contact our team to discuss the requirements at your facility further – we’re here to help.
Aquacure Water Treatment
Aquacure Water Treatment has a strong history of providing products and systems to the health sector. We have provided comprehensive water treatment solutions for several Queensland hospitals to comply with current and upcoming legislation.
Aquacure Water Treatment standards are mandated and we are required to meet all regulatory requirements by law in Australia.
Aquacure Water Treatment believes that all patients and their families deserve the highest quality of water and protection during their treatment. We are passionate about ensuring that our client’s environmental settings meet the standard and are confident in providing a water treatment system that is 100% compliant with legislation.
It is a privilege to play a vital role in maintaining public safety and together take every effort in customising a water treatment solution that is in line with The Australian Standard AS/NZS 4187:2014.
Water Quality
Health service organisations must comply with water quality and monitoring requirements set out in AS/NZS 4187:2014 [Amendment 2: 2019], Section 7 and Section 8, for all reprocessing of reusable medical devices in health service organisations.
Water quality requirements apply when an organisation replaces equipment that is used for:
- Cleaning
- Disinfecting
- Sterilisation
Hospitals are expected to operate equipment for the central sterile services departments, including:
- Washer disinfectors (ISO 15883)
- Sterilisers (EN 285 or EN 13060)
This equipment must be supplied with water in compliance with the AS/NZS 4187:2014 Standard.
Talk to a water treatment technology expert or browse our range of water treatment products and technology here.
Sources:
- https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/nsqhs-standards/assessment-nsqhs-standards/nsqhs-standards-advisories/advisory-as1807-reprocessing-reusable-medical-devices-health-service-organisations
- https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=bdf3e6ab-529e-4182-83c8-bab4155cfe05
- https://www.standards.org.au/standards-catalogue/sa-snz/health/he-023/as-slash-nzs–4187-colon-2014
- https://www.cec.health.nsw.gov.au/keep-patients-safe/infection-prevention-and-control/Reprocessing-of-Reusable-Medical-Devices#:~:text=The%20two%20primary%20reprocessing%20standards,maintenance%20of%20the%20associated%20environment.
- https://www.health.qld.gov.au/clinical-practice/guidelines-procedures/diseases-infection/infection-prevention/management-plans-guidance/icmp
The National Australian Standard AS/NZS 4187:2014