IPS audit

Communal tubes and jars are a definite no-no but it's my understanding that pump action dispensers are ok as long as they are not refilled and the nozzles are kept clean. HTM 01-05 states that ideally hand mounted dispensers would be used.

Skin care
6.7 Hand cream, preferably water-based, should be used to avoid chapped or cracking skin. Communal jars of hand cream are not desirable as the contents may become contaminated and subsequently become an infection risk. Ideally, wall-mounted hand-cream dispensers with disposable cartridges should be used. Any staff that develop eczema, dermatitis or any other skin condition should seek advice from their occupational health department or general practitioner (GP) as soon as possible.

Hi jmoss,

As far as I know hand wash and bio gel have to be wall mounted but hand cream can be in a pump dispenser just on your work surface near the sink. You throw the full thing away when empty and get a new one. We use E45 like that and I am led to believe this is ok.

if anyone knows any different I want to know too, but that's how we do it, so I hope it's right!

Hello,

I have just completed an IPS audit and it says we have to have hand cream dispensers with disposable cartridges available for all clinical and decontamination staff.

I have looked on the Dental Directory and Medtree to no avail!

Can anyone let me know if it NEEDS to be a wall mounted automatic dispenser (I assumed this because of it needing disposable cartridges) or if it can just be a pump dispenser that is disposed of and replaced with a new one once it is used up.

Thanks