IHEEM has confirmed that the seminars planned for early next year on decontamination of medical instruments, and infection/pest control (HEJ – October 2011), will both be held in February.
Set to take place on 9 February in Birmingham, “The Difficulty of Decontamination of Medical Instruments – Dirty Little Secrets” seminar will examine the key challenges facing those responsible for decontamination of medical instruments. Medical device quality, endoscopy, dentistry/community settings, the water quality used in decontamination, and the ability to clean instrumentation effectively, will all be discussed, with the seminar looking to uncover some of the “hidden concerns” that may present major risks to the patient. Speakers will include Brian Kirk, technical and professional services (senior), 3M; Dr Jimmy Walker, principal investigator, Decontamination, Health Protection Agency; Tom Brophy, lead medical engineering technologist, Barts and the London NHS Trust, and Daniel McAlonan, head of Health & Safety, British Dental Association. The event will be held at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel, with its good road and air links, and proximity to Birmingham International train station. The second seminar, set to be held late in February in London, and entitled “Infection and pest control – Are you doing enough?”, will consider the connection between effective pest control management arrangements and infection control, focusing on how expertise in both areas needs to pooled to ensure that patients can be confident that they are entering a healthcare environment that is as clean, infection-free, and free from risk, as possible. IHEEM events/education manager, Siân Barker, says: “We still have a speaker slot available on the infection control side, and would be delighted to hear from anyone with the relevant knowledge and experience to fill it.” For more details on both events, visit www.iheem.org.uk or email: sian.barker@iheem.org.uk
