Single Use Medical Devices

The aim of this policy is to set out the implications of improper use of single-use medical devices. The policy defines a ‘single-use Medical Device’ and informs staff that a Medical Device designated for ‘single-use’ must not be reused.

The reuse of single-use devices can affect their safety, performance and effectiveness, exposing patients and staff to unnecessary risk.

The reuse of single-use medical devices has legal implications:

• anyone who reprocesses or reuses a device intended by the manufacturer for use on a single occasion, bears full responsibility for its safety and effectiveness
• anyone who reprocesses a single-use device and passes it to a separate legal entity for use, has the same legal obligations under the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 as the original manufacturer of the device