Updated Health Technical Memorandum - HTM04-01
Jun 16, 2016
ALS Environmental would like to advise customers that The Department of Health (DH) has recently updated the Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 04-01 which covers water safety in NHS properties, including the sampling and analysis of Legionella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ALS Environmental can support with compliance to the new guidance regarding the analysis of pathogens in water.
The updated guidance see's the HTM04-01 split into 3 parts and 1 supplement:
| HTM 04-01 Part A | design, installation and commissioning |
| HTM 04-01 Part B | operational management |
| HTM 04-01 Part C | Pseudomonas aeruginosa - advice for augmented care units |
| HTM 04-01 Supplement | performance specification D 08 - thermostatic mixing valves (healthcare premises) |
Each section emphasises the importance of the use of Water Safety Groups (WSGs) and Water Safety Plans (WSPs) towards the management of water systems. The role of the WSGs and WSPs is to minimise the risks to health from various sources including clinical risks, changes to the water system, resilience of the water supply and microbial and chemical contamination. ALS Environmental can provide a breadth of chemical and microbiological testing from our laboratories in Coventry and Wakefield.
The updated guidance encourages a stronger emphasis on staff competencies and the implementation of water hygiene awareness training. The DoH document has been written to promote good practice for those responsible for the design, installation, commissioning, maintenance, testing, monitoring and operation of water supply systems in healthcare premises.
The 2016 edition of HTM 04-01 provides thorough and comprehensive guidance on measures to control waterborne pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Mycobacteria as well as Legionella. ALS Environmental are able to support with instant and informative MALDI-ToF confirmations for all of these pathogens.
Click here to read our paper on the ESKAPES pathogens.
The updates to HTM 04-01 have been made to align with the updated Approved Code of Practice for Legionella (L8) and its associated HSG274 guidance documents which were published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 2015.
The Addendum to HTM 04-01 published in 2013 which is now in Part C, following the Pseudomonas aeruginosa outbreak in Belfast, introduced the concept of WSGs and WSPs. Part B of the HTM now includes updated guidance on the remit and aims of the WSG and WSP.
Guidance on sampling techniques for, testing for, and the microbiological examination of Pseudomonas aeruginosa samples – originally in the HTM 04-01 Addendum – is now included in Part B to compliment similar guidance on Legionella. It should be read in conjunction with the HSE’s Approved Code of Practice (L8) and HSG274 Part 2. It is equally applicable to both new and existing sites.
For further information on ALS Environmental's Legionella and Microbiology offering, to request a quote or for any other enquiry, please contact us or call us on 02476 421 213.
