UKKA BBV Guidelines

[Gareth Murcutt]

A new draft of the UKKA BBV guidelines have been published for public consultation. I've attached the document here.

FINAL_draft_UKKA_BBV_guidelines_for_public_consultation_April_2026.docx

[Andrew Owen]

Interesting read, thanks Gareth.

[Gareth Murcutt]

Hi Andrew,

I think we made some progress in the following areas:
1. No need to overdo internal disinfection beyond OEM guidelines as risk is minimal.
2. The external surfaces of machines/beds/chairs are where the risks are highest and need to be decontaminated properly.
3. No need for additional external Tx protectors
4. Section 2.5 added - when any machine should be removed from service
5. There is a sustainability and financial cost to disinfecting between every patient. This may be reduced upon agreement of a robust local risk assessment.

I have concerns about the requirements for dedicated beds/chairs for Hep B Delta variant - can't see how this can be managed.

Certainly not perfect but overall a step in the right direction I think.

[Roger Moore]

Hi Gareth

Re dedicated beds/chairs, it does beg the question that if de-isolation cleaning regime is accepted for returning to the general pool of beds/chairs following a Hep B Delta variant patient no longer requiring dialysis, then why cannot this same regime be accepted between dialysis session and patients?
Surely any medical device should be cleaned/decontaminated to the same high standards regardless.

[Gareth Murcutt]

Couldn't agree moore Roger (pun intended).

One other point I'm glad we managed to get included is...

"A machine that has been used for patients infected with HBV can be used again for non-infected patients after it has been checked by the medical technologists or competency-based trained clinical staff  supporting the dialysis service and an appropriate decontamination process has been applied(5)"

i.e. clinical staff can be trained to thoroughly clean the externals