From: Ian blenkharn@ianblenkharn.com
Category: News & information
Date: 17 Jun 2009
Time: 09:27:47 +0200
Remote Name: 81.157.163.3
NHS Employers is unlikely to recommend that the NHS implement new European guidelines on needlestick injuries until at least 2011.
As reported by Nursing Times last week, the European Federation of Public Service Unions and HOSPEEM, the European hospital and healthcare employers’ association, have agreed on measures to reduce the risk of needlestick injuries, which are expected to become European law before the end of the year.
Speaking last week Karen Jennings, Unison’s head of health, called on the NHS to ‘take the initiative’ and ‘start using safer needles and adopting the new prevention guidelines across the UK now’.
But a spokesperson from NHS Employers told Nursing Times that the NHS was already compliant with high standards of needlestick and sharps usage, and that it would not be taking immediate action following the agreement.
[more]
Weasel words from the NHS, that seek to delay the implementation of safer needles.
Of course, it will take time. There will be manufacturing issues, supply chain management and training - some of these new needles 'feel' subtly different when in use and need a little time to get use to, and for those that need activation of the safety feature by the user require additional time in training to ensure that this extra step becomes a 100% routine - if not, the protective effect is lost completely.
I anticipate that during the transitional period there will be very many problems for uses. I recall working though the limited introduction of a 2-piece in place of a traditional 3-piece syringe. This caused uproar because it just didn't look and feel the same and so faced an uphill struggle to become accepted. The same may happen with these safety needles.
Other problems will arise. Safety needles cannot replace all traditional needles and some of these will remain in circulation. I worry that there will develop a sense of complacency in safe needle disposal - after all, its a *safe* needle so why do I need to bother? That possibility does not bode well for the disposal sector, who may see an increase in disposal errors and potentially more rather than less safety incidents.
That little extra piece of plastic that is the needle safety cover will comprise a valuable recoverable resource ripe for salvage from treated wastes. But EA is vehemently opposed to this, citing the trace residues of drug waste that may, or may not, be present to justify prohibition. The evidence of concern in this area may be more apparent than real, and perhaps have their foundation in some particularly murky waters. But for now, this additional regulatory hurdle still exists.