Care home staff - a one-stop resource for care home staff

   

Latest news:
Medical Device Alert: Receptal 1, 1.5 and 2 litre PVC suction liners manufactured by Hospira (formerly manufactured by Abbott) (MDA/2010/065) - added 16 August 2010

Hot topics

Make sure that you are aware of the National Patient Safety Agency Rapid Response Report concerning urinary catheters (external link) - added 26 May 2010 Field Safety Notice - Lenham Commode chairs - Aidapt Bathrooms Lt  - updated - added 23 June 2010 Aidapt have issued a Field Safety Notice concerning modifications required to Lenham Commodes. Please check if you have any of these commodes and if you do contact the manufacturer for the modification required.

Medical Device Alerts
Medical Device Alerts (MDAs) are the MHRA's prime means of communicating safety information to medical device users.

To receive the alerts previously sent to you by the former Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) (now part of the Care Quality Commission) please complete the CAS contact details form and return it to safetyalerts@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Below are an example of some MDA's we have published that are of particular relevance to care home staff. MDAs are removed from the list after between three and six months. To see a complete list of our MDAs, please visit the Medical Device Alert section of our website.

MDA/2010/065 - Receptal 1, 1.5 and 2 litre PVC suction liners manufactured by Hospira (formerly manufactured by Abbott)  - added 16 August 2010
MDA/2010/051 - Appollo bath hoists manufactured by Reva Industries Ltd - added 2 July 2010
MDA/2010/049 - Liftmaster 160 and 190 electrical hoist manufactured by Patterson Medical Ltd - added 2 July 2010
MDA/2010/045 - Handle assembly fitted to monkey pole manufactured by Rolko GmbH and supplied in the UK by Hill-Rom - added 24 June 2010
MDA/2010/029 - Mobile hoists - Arjo Minstrel standard type and EPC type manufactured by Medibo Medical NV - added 19 May 2010
MDA/2010/028 - Enteral feeding administration sets and Applix Smart pump sets manufactured by Fresenius Kabi
MDA/2010/022 - Hoists and standing aids manufactured by BHM Medical Inc
MDA/2010/019 - All types of Oxford slings and standing harnesses, for use with hoists and stand aids, manufactured by Joerns Healthcare Ltd
MDA/2010/010 - C-Max U/2 stair climbers manufactured by Alber Antriebstechnik GmbH (AAT) 
MDA/2010/004 - Action 3 and Action 4 manual wheelchairs manufactured by Invacare
MDA/2010/018 - All models of mobile hoists, ceiling hoists and bathing lifts manufactured by Joerns Healthcare Ltd
MDA/2010/002 - All types of bed mattresses
MDA/2010/001 - Medical devices in general and non-medical products

Our monthly electronic newsletter aims to give the latest advice for all medicines users to ensure the safe use of medicines. Below are some articles of particular interest to care home staff.

Drug Safety Update: Volume 2 Issue 11, June 2009: Antipsychotics: risk of venous thromboembolic events
Drug Safety Update: Volume 3, Issue 11, June 2010: Rivastigmine

We would encourage care home staff to check 'Drug Safety Update' regularly for the latest safety information on medicines. An email alerting facility is also available enabling you to receive a free notification as new issues are published.

There is also a section on the MHRA site,  'Safety warnings and messages for medicines', which gives details of important safety warnings and messages for medicines including letters sent to help professionals in the event of major/urgent drug safety issues (Dear Healthcare Professional letters). An email alerting facility is also available for this section.

Safety warnings and messages for medicines

 

MHRA guidance and publications
Many medical devices used in care homes come under the general term 'assistive technology' (AT). The MHRA has a specific unit which investigates all AT related incidents and which also provides advice and guidance on safety/quality issues. If you require advice and cannot find any relevant guidance on this web page please email bav@mhra.gsi.gov.uk 

These guidance documents/posters all relate to areas of practice that care home staff may be involved in and so may be of help:

DB 2006(06) - Safe Use of Bed Rails
DB 2006(05) - Managing Medical Devices
DB 2006(04) - Single-use Medical Devices: Implications and Consequences of Reuse
DB 2006(03) - Blood Pressure Measurement Devices
DB 2005(03) - Guidance on the Safe and Effective Use of Batteries and Chargers for Medical Devices
DB 2004(02) - Guidance on the Stability of Wheelchairs
DB 2003(03) - Guidance on the Safe Use of Wheelchairs and Vehicle-mounted Passenger Lifts
DB 2003(02) - Infusion Systems
DB 2001(03) - Guidance on the Safe Transportation of Wheelchairs

Booklets
Medicines & Medical Devices Regulations: What you need to know (46Kb)
Devices in Practice - a guide for health and social care professionals

One Liners
One Liners is a short news sheet aimed at all healthcare professionals and care staff, which highlights problems with the use of medical devices. It is often a light hearted review of user issues that have been brought to our attention and are generally reports of continuing user’s misuse of simple medical equipment.

We know that all medical devices can fail but an increasing number of incidents that result in significant morbidity or mortality arise out of user/device interface problems or because of poor practices. The aim of the One Liner is to detail briefly some of these problems in an attempt to make users more aware of what can go wrong - it is all too easy to take equipment for granted.

Many of the One Liner series are generic but we have produced a number of editions that focus on a specific device or a theme, or are of interest to primary care trusts or the care homes sector.

One Liners

Posters and leaflets
Poster on mattress decontamination
Are you using the right type of finger pricker?
Electrical cables: 'Shocking Trips'
Reporting faulty medical equipment
Safe use of bed rails
Single-use medical devices
Point of Care Testing - Urine Dipsticks
Point of Care Testing - Blood glucose meters
Assistive technology - reporting adverse incidents (688Kb) - added 16 February 2010

Interactive education modules
Every year many patients and staff are injured needlessly by medical devices that are either badly maintained or used incorrectly. These injuries are often due to user error or poor systems of work, not the device function or design. In these education packages we have tried to give a generic overview of some of the devices that have been reported to us as problematic.

To this end we have produced a series of certificated educational packages that are simple to use, informative and should take no more than thirty minutes to work through. All our educational packages have been developed by MHRA staff, some in conjunction with and endorsement by royal colleges and other professional bodies.

The packages are aimed at different levels of healthcare staff and can be either simply reviewed or undertaken with the aim of achieving a certificate at the completion of the training. They provide some valuable dos and don’ts when using and operating medical devices.

Devices in practice
Basic observations
Anaesthetic machines
Electrosurgery
The operating table

Your input counts
We would be grateful for your comments on the content and usefulness of this page. Please send your feedback to webusability@mhra.gsi.gov.uk