About IHSS
Working to support a sustainable and effective Health Service, IHSS continue to invest in innovative decontamination and sterilisation technology, ensuring delivery of a safe, reliable and cost-effective solution.
At IHSS, we also work closely with SSD’s to provide efficient onsite support, organising all aspects of surgical instrument decontamination, from managing inventory to delivering instruments to Theatre.
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We’re excited to announce forward-thinking, efficient and sustainable ideas for our upcoming projects.
Vision and Values
Quality
ISO Certification
Vision and Values
Safety
We always address the root causes of safety issues rather than simply treating the symptoms. This approach actively supports our ambition to become a lean, innovative operation where everyone goes home safely every day. The result is a culture of ‘total safety’ that benefits all.
Caring
We are passionate about the quality of our work, the people we work with and the world we live in. We take time to listen, look ahead and deliver exactly what our customers need. We create the kinds of customer relationships in which care is given and appreciated by both sides.
One Team
We build great relationships between our teams to connect our people
and expertise with customers and partners so we can deliver the best possible service. We build on each other’s strengths so we can succeed together. Our teams become an extension of our customers’ teams.
Integrity
We do what we say we’ll do. That’s the way to win trust and demonstrate our inner strength. It’s about being true to our values and behaving in accordance with them in every situation, no matter how difficult.
“Our vision is to provide a sterile supply chain, driven by clinical demand, in which reprocessed instruments and sterile disposables are delivered on a priority basis to the point of use”
Quality
Quality is at the forefront of all our processes at IHSS, and we know it is what defines us as a business. We aim to exceed expectation, achieving the best results for our customers. We understand what significance our performance has on the end user and patients alike.
Our Quality Objectives
IHSS aim to provide a service which supports a positive clinical outcome for patients – no cancelled operations. IHSS aim to achieve zero defects on instruments with organic contamination. IHSS aim to provide a service which meets its contractual requirements for damaged, missing or incorrect instruments. IHSS aim to provide a service which meets its contractual requirements ensuring all instruments are delivered on time and in full. Where instrument sets arrive incorrect, IHSS will identify these through the Quarantine Process and where contractually agreed inform the Customers.
Our robust Quality Management System is integrated into all of our processes and is in place to ensure all aspects of our service are delivered to the highest standard, with clear definite instructions and guidance provided for all processes. Our internal procedures are continually reviewed and updated through internal and external auditing, ensuring IHSS’s performance remains a market leader in the constantly evolving decontamination and sterilisation markets.
Quality Management System
IHSS employ locally dedicated quality service teams who deal directly with the customer in handling queries, requests and complaints. Through the service team, root cause analysis is applied to all complaints to determine reasoning and gaps in employee training, which can then result in further action if deemed necessary. The local teams are supported by a dedicated IHSS Quality Manager and Regulatory Affairs Manager.
IHSS maintain a zero tolerance policy on organic contamination with regular team briefings and individual meetings employed to ensure staff competency in delivering a first-class service.
At all times we aim to supply decontaminated, sterile instruments with no contamination.
Our QMS makes use of live customer feedback & quarantine databases enabling customers to keep up to date with the status of a particular set or instrument through the process.
IHSS are able to generate customer specific reports providing a valuable source of information, helping customers identify their efficiency and stock level management capabilities.
IHSS have a Disaster Recovery Procedure (DRP) in place with enough ‘spare’ capacity at each site to accommodate additional workloads whilst maintaining the high standards required to ensure our customers requirements are met at all times. Our qualified on site engineers are also available on a 24hr basis to perform maintenance of machinery within our facilities, so disasters can be avoided and the machines are kept in the best possible condition.
ISO Certification
We are continually improving the standards and efficiency of our sites through the implementation of our Quality Management System and constructive feedback from our customers and regulatory Body, Intertek.
Our services are compliant with all National and International quality requirements and as such conform to the requirements of the Medical Devices Directive 93/42 EEC through the application of BS EN ISO 13485:2016. and UK MDR 2002 (where applicable). IHSS Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of the VAMED Group.
To download a copy of our certificate please click on one of the links below;
What our Customers say
The outsourcing of sterile services into commercial offsite providers has been a problematic process with many political, clinical, operational and financial obstacles to overcome. 12 years into the Contract, on balance, I for one wouldn’t recommend a return to how things were in the public sector in NWL prior to 2010 and a significant part of the reason for this is due to the nature of the partnership with IHSS.
IHSS now provides sterile medical device services to 8 Acute Trusts, a total of 17 hospital sites, meeting or exceeding its contractual and locally agreed key performance targets, set at 99.75%, on quality and turnaround.
The transfer of a fully managed services, including Endoscopy, having been completed as smoothly as they have is a further indication of the competence of IHSS Ltd and the manner in which it works with customers to achieve the best results for all concerned.
Damien Charnock, BSc(Hons), M.IDSc, MSc
Customer Contract Manager, North West London Decontamination Project
Ways we’re sustainable
IHSS are strongly passionate about how our services can improve the environmental, economic and social well-being of the communities in which we work & support.
Sustainability
