Health Facilities Scotland (HFS) is currently consulting on new best practice guidance on decontamination of dental instruments in Local Decontamination Units (LDUs) in NHSScotland. The consultation period lasts until 31 January 2023.
The new guidance, Scottish Health Technical Memorandum (SHTM) 01-05, will replace previous decontamination guidance for NHS Scotland. SHTM 01-05 is in three parts:
- Part A: Management
- Part B: Test equipment/methods
- Part C: Process
The text of SHTM 01-05 Part C is based on, and will replace, the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) Decontamination Into Practice guidance series. It presents, in one document, practical advice on each aspect of decontamination within dental practice, which is up to date with current national standards and generic decontamination guidance. Reference to Parts A or B may be necessary for more detailed technical guidance. Part C has been developed by HFS in collaboration with SDCEP.
The consultation documents and instructions for providing feedback before 31 January 2023 are available on the Scottish Dental website.