Pat and Calibration Testing SOP

Introduction

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is an important part of health and safety. The Health and Safety Executive states that 25% of all reportable electrical accidents involve portable appliances.

The electricity at work regulations places a legal responsibility on employers, employees and self-employed persons to comply with the provisions of the regulations and take reasonable, practicable steps to ensure no danger results from the use of such equipment. This in effect requires the implementation of a systematic and regular program of maintenance, inspection and testing.

Likewise, all medical equipment should be checked especially items that need to be calibrated to ensure they are giving a true reading to ensure patient safety.

Objectives of the procedure

To ensure we have a robust procedure in place for all our services within BrisDoc, and ensuring all locations are up to date with the PAT and medical equipment calibration requirements.

The Facilities Manager and member of the Facilities team identifies the items to be tested and arranges for our registered portable appliance tester, who is an in-house Facilities Support Officer, to carry out all PAT within BrisDoc.  For medical equipment calibration we use an external company to carry out the testing.

For our medical equipment calibration testing a member of the Facilities Team will accompany the tester throughout this process at each of our bases. Representatives of these companies will be “signed in” (ID and confidentiality checked).

Medical equipment calibration in our GP Surgeries is managed within practice services by the practice team.

The Standard Operating Procedure

PAT will be carried out every two years.  If it is suspected that any item is faulty it will be removed from use until it is either repaired and re-tested or replaced.

The Facilities Manager/team members will arrange for testing and repairs every two years and for any new equipment to be tested.

Any new item can be used straight away, but the product details, serial number and date purchased should be given to our PAT tester so that it can be placed on the log for 12 months’ time to be tested.

All our records of PAT within Brisdoc are stored here; S:\FACILITIES & BASES\PAT testing.

All records of medical equipment calibration are kept S:\FACILITIES & BASES\6 – EQUIPMENT\Medisafe Calibration

Monitoring

To be monitored and maintained by the Facilities Manager and member of Facilities Team.

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