Does your Trust conduct regular environmental monitoring, risk assessment and/or staff surveillance within cancer day units to detect possible chemical contamination from hazardous drugs being administered? E.g. Surface contamination wipe tests.

 No

Within pharmacy, cytotoxic residue is monitored in isolators in the ADU. There is a comprehensive cleaning regime with agents for micro-organisms and residues of chemicals. It should be acknowledged that the numbers of cytotoxic drugs prepared in the ADU is significantly more than in ward environments where spillage should be negligible. Cytotoxic residue is further minimised by wiping of the outer surface of the bags and the isolators use a closed system. External protective bags are placed over the bags at the release stage. All of these actions reduce the potential for cytotoxic residue for the administrators when the bags are handled.

Within the day unit there is no specific environmental testing for cytotoxic residue.

Best practice proposes bags should not be unspiked and PPE (gloves and aprons) and an appropriate cleaning regime should be adopted in the day units.

There is no new evidence that current practice should be changed. There are no specific recommendations regarding monitoring of cytotoxic residue.  In deed there is currently no evidence that suggests that certain readings/values lead to harm. For this reason, monitoring of cytotoxic residue in the day unit is not currently undertaken.

If so, what assessments/tests are conducted and how often are they carried out?

Not applicable