MITIGATING WATERBORNE PATHOGEN RISKS IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES: AN OVERVIEW OF SMS ENVIRONMENTAL'S NEW COURSE

SMS Environmental are thrilled to announce that our Pseudomonas and Other Waterborne Pathogens Risk assessment (excluding Legionella) in a healthcare Environment course has been approved by City & Guilds. 

The scope of the Pseudomonas and other waterborne pathogens risk assessment includes the wide range of organisms other than Legionella which can be transmitted by engineered water and drainage systems. This course provides candidates with the knowledge and understanding to be able to complete a suitable and sufficient Pseudomonas and other waterborne pathogens risk assessment.

The course, lead by Dr. Mike Weinbren, is 8 hours in total. Certificate Assessment is awarded based on successful completion of the course, which at the end of, candidates will be able to carry out a suitable and sufficient Pseudomonas and other waterborne pathogens risk assessment.
The entry requirements for this course are:

• Risk Assessment Qualifications
• Working knowledge of water and drainage systems management, design and control
• Knowledge of appropriate sampling strategies, guidelines & standards including an understanding of the H&S risks associated with carrying out a risk assessment
• Familiarity with Health Technical Memoranda (HTMs)

The course has been designed for those who want to become professional risk assessors involved in identifying, assessing and reporting on the risk associated with Pseudomonas and other organisms transmitted from water and drainage systems (excluding Legionella) as well as persons involved in operation and management of healthcare premises.

UKAS Accreditation Development

Furthermore, there are exciting developments currently in progress with UKAS on Accreditation opportunities and SMS Environmental, as a leading UKAS Accredited Inspection Body, have led the expression of interest to potentially participate in a pilot programme which hopes to develop accreditation for this specialist area of assessment.

Training Interest

This is a great opportunity for not only SMS Environmental's Risk Assessment team but other specialists in light of the upcoming BS 8580-2 Water quality. Part 2: Risk assessments for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other waterborne pathogens - Code of practice which is currently in development.
We're proud to say that we have gotten off to a great start with this course and have already run all eight sessions which were well received. Now that the course has been fully approved, we look forward to issuing the certificates for this training.

About the Trainer - Dr Mike Weinbren

Employed three days a week at National Services Scotland, where his main role is leading on water safety working in a newly formed service (NHS Scotland Assure) to make hospital built environments safer and alongside this as an Infection Control Doctor at King’s Mill Hospital in Nottinghamshire.

Mike was previously Consultant Microbiologist and Infection Control Doctor at Chesterfield Royal Hospital and before that, Director of Infection Prevention and Control at University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire 2004-2013 during which time they had the largest PFI build in the U.K. This stimulated his interest in hospital design and the links to infection control, especially with water / waste systems. He is currently chair of the Healthcare Infection Society working party on water and has been a contributor to HTM 04-01 and the new forthcoming British Standard.

Find out more about the range of training courses available through SMS Environmental