As a Profession, we all want what is best for our patients, always have done and always will do. Any rules or regulations should, IMHO, have that as their No.1 priority – they should enable us, not disable us to provide best practice.

There is still much that needs fixing in HTM01-05 and I have to say, the vast majority of it is fixable, from removing the requirement of the final super-hot cycle on a WD to prevent baking-on proteins/reduce environmental impact and breakdowns, to storage time in bags being evidence-based to looking again at LDU layouts etc, etc.

It would be a sign of strength by the DH to say OK, we will refer to NICE, we also have some ongoing Impact Analysis and Pilots to trial several methods on a time/motion/cost/patient-access effects in real settings to help inform NICE so when HTM01-05 version 4 comes out in 2011, it will SYNERGISE and enhance everything that occurs around patient care, not detract or interrupt it unduly.

That would be the positive way forward to help turn this "Ugly Duckling" into a "Beautiful Swan" that the whole profession could welcome and implement realistically, knowing that overall there was proven patient benefit.

Let us hope the DH can show such strength, this would be in the best interests of the public, ultimately.

(This document may be downloaded here).