SMTL Summary

SMTL Background

The Surgical Materials Testing Laboratory (SMTL) was established in 1977 as a quality control laboratory for Mid Glamorgan Health Authority. Since then the mix of work undertaken by the laboratory has changed considerably.

The (then) Welsh Office funded SMTL to provide health authorities in Wales with a materials testing service for dressing and medical and surgical products. SMTL now provides testing services both to the whole of the NHS in Wales and to manufacturers of health care products. The testing covers surgical dressings and medical disposables and includes compliance testing, product evaluation and development of test methods. SMTL's core funding now comes from the Welsh Assembly Government.

The department is now based in the Princess of Wales hospital, Coity Road, Bridgend, where it now employs a total of 17 staff including pharmacists, biologists, microbiologists, and technicians.

Since it was founded SMTL has established itself as a leader in its specialised field, attracting commercial clients in addition to its NHS work.

SMTL is a not-for-profit organisation.

Materials Testing

SMTL is the only NHS laboratory in the UK dedicated to the testing and evaluation of surgical dressing and medical disposables.

In addition to its "All Wales" NHS role, the services offered by the laboratory are also available to other NHS bodies outside Wales, as well as commercial organisations who require independent product examination or evaluation. SMTL can provide a full range of test services on medical and surgical disposable items, as well as associated research and development activities. Examples of product groups handled by the laboratory include:

hydrocolloid dressings and hydrogels
bandages
catheters
examination and surgical gloves
medical fabrics
Compression hosiery

Other services include microbiological and bio-compatibility studies and test method development.

SMTL's customers include many well known health care companies such as Baxter Healthcare, Convatec, Johnson & Johnson and Smith & Nephew,

Although the SMTL undertakes routine testing to ensure compliance of submitted materials with nationally or internationally agreed standards, particular attention is given to the development of performance based tests. In recent years the laboratory has played a leading role in the development of such tests for alginates, hydrocolloid dressings and extensible bandages and some of these tests are currently being considered as the basis of British Standard or European STandard specifications or monographic standards in the British Pharmacopoeia.

All work is subjected to rigorous quality control procedures, and test methodologies are reviewed constantly to ensure that new standards are incorporated. SMTL gained UKAS accreditation in November 1995, and have maintained their accreditation status on each subsequent annual visit.

SMTL work very closely with Welsh Health Supplies (WHS) on contracts for the Welsh NHS, providing technical advice and testing services to enable informed purchasing decisions to be made.

Defects Reporting

The laboratory also acts as a defect reporting centre for the NHS in Wales where suspect products are examined and reported upon.

Biological Services

In addition to the physical testing activities, the laboratory undertakes an extensive range microbiological investigations and performs toxicity testing, bioburden testing, and endotoxin testing.

In recent years, SMTL have provided endotoxin testing and bioburden monitoring to Central Sterilising Service Departments (CSSD) throughout Wales and the rest of the UK, to enable them to apply the CE mark on the devices which they reprocess.

We also offer testing of CSSD washer disinfector rinse water and endoscope WD rinse water to HTM 2030.

Information services

The SMTL also offers an information service on dressings and provides practical advice on medical devices and dressings to medical and nursing colleagues throughout the Principality.

Books and Educational Materials

The laboratory also publishes books and other educational materials on the use of dressings and medical and surgical materials

Standards and tests.

Members of SMTL sit on a number of BSI (British Standards Institute) technical committees, including those for gloves, IV sets, IV catheters, drapes and gowns, bandages etc.

SMTL has been one of the major forces in the development of performance based testing for dressings and related materials.

Environmental Testing

In addition to the surgical materials testing carried out at SMTL, the laboratory is responsible for the environmental monitoring of pharmacy clean rooms and the provision of a pharmaceutical Quality Assurance service to various Trusts within Wales.

The cleanroom monitoring services are also now provided to CSSD departments in Wales and the South West of England.

Larvae for wound debridement

SMTL used to breed and sell sterile maggots for the purpose of debriding wounds, under the brand name 'LarvE'. This was spun off as a separate commercial organisation in May 2005, and is no longer part of the NHS nor of SMTL .

This site was originally set up with the aid of sponsorship from the Value for Money Unit, Welsh Office and an educational grant from Sophos Convatec.

URL: http://www.smtl.co.uk/SMTL/smtl-summary.html
Last Modified: Monday, 10-Dec-2007 10:54:26 GMT