Paragraph 7 Equipment and instruments

(1)

All equipment, instruments and products used by the licence holder must be—

(a)

used and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, and

(b)

appropriately serviced and validated in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, and all service and validation records must be kept and maintained for inspection by an authorised officer.

(2)

All instruments and equipment used by the licence holder must be of a non-porous material that can be easily cleaned, disinfected and, where appropriate, sterilised.

(3)

Instruments and equipment must be maintained in good order and repair to enable effective cleaning and must be used and stored in a way that minimises the risk of contamination.

(4)

The licence holder must never reuse or reprocess single use items.

(5)

Only sterile, single use, disposable needles may be used by the licence holder.

(6)

The licence holder must ensure that any equipment which is not disposable, cannot be sterilised and is likely to come into contact with bodily fluids or the site of the special procedure, is protected from such contact. Such equipment must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after each use.

(7)

If non-disposable instruments are used in the performance of a special procedure and are likely to come into contact with bodily fluids or the site of the special procedure the licence holder must after using them clean and treat the instruments. The instruments must be cleaned and treated with fit for purpose cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation equipment such as ultrasonic cleaners, instrument baths and autoclaves and autoclave pouches. This does not apply to needles (see paragraph 7(5)).

(8)

Any instrument, equipment, jewellery, or object that is attached to, implanted or inserted in, the client’s skin or mucous membrane must be sterilised.

(9)

Any instrument, or equipment used to remove jewellery or an object that is attached to, implanted or inserted in the client’s skin or mucous membrane must be sterilised.

(10)

The licence holder must have access to a suitably stocked, readily accessible first aid kit to meet the first aid needs of the special procedure performed.