Below are some examples of the types of service that AVM has provided.
Due to client confidentiality, we have only provided a brief synopsis of the work engaged in. If you have any questions or you would like to know more, please contact us.
Provision of Interim Management
A hospital trust with multiple sites required a decontamination lead for 4 months.
The responsibilities of the role included developing strategic direction, market testing specification, attending decontamination meetings and to investigate and make recommendations to improve the decontamination service. In addition, our interim manager initiated a program to develop instrumentation training.
Mentoring for Decontamination Managers
AVM provided support and mentoring services to a decontamination manager. This was achieved by establishing current skills, knowledge and qualifications to initiate a career pathway development plan.
An AVM Services mentor was allocated to manage the process and be available to give advice as and when required.
Adverse Incident Investigation
A hospital trust appointed AVM to investigate a current and historical practice for the decontamination of flexible scopes following an adverse complaint which covered many years of decontamination.
After the investigation, AVM was able to identify current processes with a historical analysis of compliance records and standards. The team then made recommendations for improvement.
Particulate Contamination Investigation
AVM was contacted by a hospital trust and asked to investigate an issue whereby particulate matter was consistently being found by theatre staff on sterilised surgical instruments.
The team at AVM investigated all aspects of the decontamination process and equipment where they identified problems with the trust’s equipment and processes. This resulted in a board report for corrective action which in turn was implemented.
Following the implementation of corrective actions outlined by AVM, the trust saw a reduction in reported incidents to an acceptable level.
Quality System Assurance Support (BS EN 13485)
A hospital trust contacted AVM for support because of an adverse inspection that threatened the continuation of registration.
AVM attended the site and was then able to write a new quality system manual and introduce key SOPs.
Once these had been implemented, AVM carried out an internal audit. The result meant the trust was able to close all non-conformities and transitioned to 13485:2016 successfully.
Market Testing
A client had a requirement to market test its decontamination service and contacted AVM for support.
AVM assisted in the drafting of, and identification of short & long-term requirements, standards, process and equipment specification.
Centralisation Decontamination Development
AVM was asked to assist with a strategy to centralise all decontamination services including surgical instruments, flexible endoscope and dentistry into one decontamination unit.
Following identification of all of the units over several sites, a project plan was devised and implemented.
The outcome was that a centralised surgical instrument (including dentistry) decontamination unit was established on one site with a single endoscopy unit on each of the hospital sites.
