Transportation

Transportation

In a general practice, transportation refers to the way used reusable medical devices are safely moved from one area of the practice to another, for example from the treatment room to the cleaning area or sent offsite if the devices are to be reprocessed externally. This step is critical to avoid spreading infection and to protect both staff and patients.

The practice needs to have a clear process for how used instruments are collected and transported. This process should include:

• ensuring that the used devices are handled in a way that protects staff, the environment, and the devices themselves from harm or contamination
• training all relevant members of the practice team on how to safely collect and transport used instruments in line with the practice’s policies and procedures.

Used devices need to be placed in designated containers for transport. These containers need to meet the following requirements:

• Be rigid, strong, and leak-proof to avoid spills or injuries.
• Be the right size to hold the devices without causing damage or risk to staff.
• Be sealable or lockable, if needed, to prevent tampering or accidental opening.
• Be clearly labelled to show whether they contain used (dirty) or clean instruments.
• Be easy to clean and disinfect and completely dried after cleaning.
• Be replaced or safely disposed of when they are no longer in good condition.