Decontamination

What does an Authorising Engineer for Decontamination do?

The primary roles of an Authorising Engineer (Decontamination), commonly referred to as an AE(D) are:

• To provide impartial auditing and advice on all aspects of decontamination, including cleaning, disinfection and sterilization, of medical devices in the acute sector of Healthcare. This can embrace e.g. design of decontamination facilities, specification and procurement of decontamination equipment such as sterilizers, washer-disinfectors for surgical instruments and for human waste containers, ultrasonic cleaners, automated endoscope reprocessors and endoscope drying cabinets etc.

• To carry out the Audit of decontamination processes, and decontamination equipment validation and testing reports. The AE(D) might also provide a similar service to e.g. the primary care, laboratory, medical device manufacturing and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors.

Health Technical Memorandum 01-01: Decontamination of reusable medical devices - Part A: Management and environment (HTM 01-01 Part A) defines the typical management structure, key personnel and relationships relating to decontamination in the healthcare sector. It sets out under sections 5.27 to 5.34 the core duties and responsibilities and necessary qualifications for an AE(D).

Want to know more about the role of an AE(D)? then have a look at the article that was published in May's Edition of the HEJ.

Visit the Space for Health website to download your copy of HTM 01-01 Part A.