Cleanroom monitoring system shows its benefits

NHS Orkney has recently extended its use of neQis independent monitoring solutions, adding continuous particle monitoring for the cleanroom of its central decontamination unit. Now all the department’s key parameters are continuously monitored using neQis solutions – independent product release, pressure, temperature, humidity, rinse water conductivity, RO system and, most recently, cleanroom particle counters. Independent monitoring solutions specialist, neQis, reports.

Gary Drever, the Central Decontamination Unit manager at NHS Orkney’s The Balfour Hospital in Forelands Road, Kirkwall, explains that while NHS Orkney was in the process of drawing up plans for its new hospital and healthcare facility, it came across neQis during a visit to Golden Jubilee Hospital, in Glasgow. He explained: “At the time, the independent monitoring system (IMS) installed on the washer-disinfectors and autoclaves at our old hospital was no longer being supported. We needed something to see us through until the new hospital and healthcare facility opened, and installed neQis to keep the system going while this was built.”

He continued: “NHS Orkney has a Health Edge track and trace system, and on installing the neQis IMS, we worked with Health Edge and neQis to interlink the systems so that the neQis IMS gave us a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’. As with any new system, we had a few teething problems that Health Edge was able to resolve with the Central Decontamination Department (CDU). It gave us the reassurance that an operator cannot knowingly unload a failed cycle. The system checks that the cycle numbers match. It’s all running smoothly, and the team is happy with the system. It was so successful that when we went out to tender for the CDU in the new hospital, we specified that the washer-disinfectors, autoclaves, and endoscope washerdisinfectors were compatible with neQis.”