Introduction to IDSc

The Institute of Decontamination Sciences (IDSc) is the UK's largest professional body for the decontamination of reuseable medical devices.

It aims:

• To maintain a learned body, implement and sustain an education programme for its members, and those aspiring to membership, with the object of achieving and maintaining high professional standards within the decontamination professions.
• To verify academic attainments of those practising or desiring to practice the professions of Decontamination and Decontamination Management in accordance with the membership criteria detailed in the Constitution and Regulations.
• To provide, through regional branches, a forum for members to consider and discuss matters relating to the provision and improvement of decontamination services, and the educational career development and interests of staff.
• To promote and encourage research and development in matters relating to decontamination services.
• To establish and monitor the high professional standards expected of decontamination services personnel. To actively encourage the maintenance of such standards.
• To actively work towards Membership of the Institute being the main criteria for employment in the field of Decontamination Management.

IDSc members work in all areas of medical device decontamination, from the NHS to the Private Sector, and from Sterile Services Departments to Primary Care, Endoscopy and Dental Services.

Membership is open to anyone. Click here to join and gain access to the latest news and developments in medical device reprocessing.

Our members include: Sterile services personnel at all levels, endoscopy staff, microbiologists, infection control, theatre staff, engineers, corporate members and members from the NHS and Private Sector.

About IDSc

In the UK, Sterile Services Departments (SSD's) were pioneered and developed in the late 1950's following the successful supply of pre-sterile sets of surgical instruments and dressings by the Royal Army Medical Corps to support the Suez crisis.

As part of the early development of the service, Superintendents managing the departments formed the Association of Sterile Supplies Managers (ASSM). This was the predecessor to the Institute of Sterile Services Management (ISSM), which evolved in 1984.

In November 2004, the ISSM changed its official name to The Institute of Decontamination Sciences (IDSc). This name change reflects, acknowledges and encompasses all decontamination professionals, allied professions, clinical services and the challenges of safe healthcare provision. From the inception of the ASSM, the IDSc has continued to develop and grow in strength, and is now recognised as a key professional body in the UK framework, managing all of the risks associated with Health Care Acquired Infections (HCAI) in medical devices reprocessing.

The control and reduction of Health Care Acquired Infection (HCAI) is fundamental to effective patient outcomes. Patients have the right, enshrined in UK law, to expect professional competence in the decontamination process, and that the medical devices used in any intervention are fit for purpose and decontaminated to the highest standards.

The IDSc embraces the challenges faced in helping to reduce the risks of infection and is committed in ensuring the provision of competent staff that can meet the technical and operational challenges of medical device decontamination.

The risks associated with medical device reprocessing has a very high public profile following the emergence of Creutzfeldt Jacob Disease. The requirement for prion deactivation during the decontamination process has led to a major review of traditional standards and practice in all areas of decontamination from acute SSD's to GP Practices, Endoscopy and Dental Services. The IDSc remains the biggest UK professional body for medical device reprocessing and at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field.

IDSc Publications

Please feel free to visit the following page for information about IDSc publications and how to obtain them:

• IDSc Publications

IDSc Events

Upcoming Conferences and Seminars

...to be announced...

Past Conferences and Seminars

IDSc Contact

Address:

IDSc - Institute of Decontamination Sciences
c/o Fitwise Management Limited
Drumcross Hall
Bathgate
West Lothian
EH48 4JT
United Kingdom

Tel:

+44-(0)1506-811077

Fax:

+44-(0)1506-811477

Email:

Web:

www.idsc-uk.co.uk

Information about United Kingdom

Statistics

• Area: 244,820 km² (land: 241,590 km², water: 3,230 km²)
• Population: 60,270,708 (July 2004)
• Capital: London
• Language: English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)
• Religion: Anglican and Roman Catholic 40 million, Muslim 1.5 million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 500,000, Hindu 500,000, Jewish 350,000
• Climate: temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast.
• Time Zone: UTC/GMT
• Currency: British Pound [GBP].

Location

United Kingdom is in Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France. With a total of 360 km land boundaries and 12,429 km coastline, United Kingdom shares borders with Ireland 360 km.