The main hospital in Angus has been ordered to tighten up procedures after inspectors found items that were “visibly contaminated”.
During an unannounced visit to Stracathro Hospital in July, blood was discovered on intravenous pumps and alarm pads stored as clean.
While the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate team observed a high overall standard of infection control and cleanliness across the four wards examined, NHS Tayside was given a “priority one” requirement to ensure equipment is cleaned properly between uses.
The health board has said it will “ensure improvements continue to be made” at the hospital.
The hospital was last inspected in April 2013, resulting in four requirements and four recommendations, which had all been acted upon.
The visit on July 28 and 29 was the first inspection of the hospital against the new Healthcare Improvement Scotland Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Standards implemented in February 2015.
Lead inspector Jacqueline Jowett said: “During the inspection, the majority of the patient equipment was clean, but there were some exceptions.
“Five of the seven bed frames we checked on wards 2 and 7 were found to be contaminated on the lower framework, but we were told they were ready for use. We checked a variety of reusable patient equipment which was tagged as clean and ready for use.
“We found items that were visibly contaminated, including four intravenous pumps and four alarm pads.”
The requirement reads: “NHS Tayside must ensure that all reusable patient equipment is properly decontaminated following use.
“This will minimise the risk of cross-infection to patients.”
Inspectors also found a ward 7 industrial washing machine used to thermally disinfect hoist slings and heat resistant gloves could not reach sufficient temperatures under recent guidelines.
They said: “Senior managers in NHS Tayside informed us that the items would now be washed in the hospital mini-laundry where thermal disinfection temperatures and hold times are achieved.”
The inspectors also found that equipment and furniture was “poorly organised” in the Willow unit’s two stores, with items intended for disposal being kept alongside others still in use.
Staff were “unaware” of a system for arranging the removal of items requiring disposal, and inspectors made a recommendation for NHS Tayside to review arrangements.
HEI is part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland, a public body set up to help improve NHS and privately provided healthcare.