Safety recommendation
HSIB recommends that the Care Quality Commission reviews the recommendations from the Association of Anaesthetists on how to manage the risks of contamination by the flush fluid when using an arterial transducer line and determines any appropriate actions for the oversight of governance and assurance arrangements within NHS providers following.
Response:
We welcome this report, which highlights the risks associated with blood sampling from arterial line systems used in adult critical care.
We welcome the opportunity to consider what role we can play in providing oversight of the assurance that healthcare providers have to ensure they safely manage the risks of contamination by the flush fluid when using an arterial line to take a blood sample.
The recommendation made to us is dependent on the recommendation made to the Association of Anaesthetists and we will work to meet our recommendation when new national guidance is available.
Actions planned to deliver safety recommendation:
- Review recommendations made by the Association of Anaesthetists once existing national guidance has been reviewed. Other dependencies identified: Dependent on Association of Anaesthetists meeting their recommendation. We have been advised by the Association of Anaesthetists that the guideline working party has not yet met, and generally it will take 6-9 months for the guidelines to be written following the first meeting.
- Consider how oversight of governance and assurance arrangements to reflect the recommendations can be incorporated into the new regulatory model for the critical care core service.
- Consider whether there are implications for other areas of healthcare core services, given the wider use of arterial lines.
All three actions supported by:
- Chief Inspector of Hospitals
- National Professional Advisor for Surgery
- Policy lead for the critical care core service
Response received on 3 November 2022.