Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the impact of reprocessed endoscopes on level of risk for patients in critical care environments; and if he will make a statement.

During the pandemic, NHS England and NHS Improvement published a variety of guidance on the sterilisation and decontamination of reusable medical equipment and use of single-use equipment. The purchase and use of single-use equipment is determined by individual National Health Service trusts, which consider the facilities available, workforce, finances and the patient population to select the most appropriate medical equipment.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have reviewed the potential merits of single-use endoscopes and considered hospital acquired infections, patient safety and the prevalence of antibiotic resistant organisms in care environments. These discussions are ongoing to appropriately review all factors, including environmental sustainability and economic considerations. There are no plans to alter procedures in favour of using single-use endoscopes in any setting.