Failure to complete Pre-Acceptance Audits could mean your waste contractor will not be permitted to legally accept your waste. This is important because if your hazardous healthcare waste can’t be collected, your right to operate could be put in jeopardy. Find out more about Pre-Acceptance Audits and how we can help.

What are Pre-Acceptance Waste Audits?

Pre-Acceptance Audits in waste management refer to the assessment and verification of waste materials that can be accepted for disposal. These audits are essential for waste management companies to comply with regulatory standards and ensure that waste is classified correctly. Pre-Acceptance Audits are in place to prevent disposal of inappropriate or hazardous waste and to avoid unnecessary risks.

Discover how Anenta’s remote app allows you to complete Pre-Acceptance Audits with ease.

 

The importance of Pre-Acceptance Clinical Waste Audits

Healthcare providers must follow rules for handling healthcare waste outlined in the Health Technical Memorandum 07 01 (HTM 07 01). The Environmental Protection Act 1990 also includes regulations about controlled waste and duty of care. As a waste producer, you have specific duties, including the Pre-Acceptance Audit, which you must follow to manage waste properly.

Effectively, this is a bill of health for your waste contractor, confirming that the waste and quantities of waste produced are managed in accordance with the law and is waste that your contractor is allowed to dispose of. Without this in place, your waste contractor cannot legally accept waste as they would be in breach of their environmental permit. Your audit, and subsequent policy and process development, should help to facilitate the successful completion of your waste Pre-Acceptance Audit.

Benefits of our Pre-Acceptance Audits

Our Pre-Acceptance Audits are key to the success of your waste management system. They ensure the efficient, safe and compliant handling of waste materials from your waste disposal contractor:

  • Cost saving: understanding your waste profile more accurately is the key to procuring cost-effective and appropriate waste contracts that have the potential to save your businesses thousands of pounds each year.
  • Stay on top of new regulations: with Environment Permit Regulations under review, more stringent rules could be put into place, meaning waste audits will not only be desirable, they will be essential.
  • Resolve any issues: based on feedback from the audits, we help you to identify and resolve any issues that arise. This is the first step on the path to ensuring that you have a good waste management process in place.
  • Enhance operational efficiency: conducting Pre-Acceptance Audits before waste acceptance means discrepancies and non-compliances issues are identified early in the process. This reduces disruptions and streamlines procedures.
  • Minimise environmental impact: this helps prevent the disposal of hazardous or environmentally harmful materials, protecting our ecosystems and natural resources.
  • Meet compliance needs: feel assured you’re complying with your duties as a waste producer and meeting compliance with HTM 07 01 guidelines with a successful Pre-Acceptance Audit.
  • Accurate record keeping: all audits undertaken using the Anenta app are stored electronically, with easy access for you to track remediable actions, providing a breadcrumb trail for compliance purposes and CQC checks.

How do Pre-Acceptance Clinical Waste Audits work?

A Pre-Acceptance Audit through Anenta’s remote app includes the review of the following key aspects:

  • Waste composition check: this involves the verification that the waste is aligned with the description that’s been provided and that it complies with the waste acceptance criteria.
  • Documentation review: an examination of relevant documentation, such as waste transfer notes, to make sure information is accurate and complete when it comes to the type and origin of the waste.
  • Compliance review: the waste should meet HTM 07 01 standards, including those related to hazardous material and making sure disposal permits are in place.
  • Safety precautions: verification that packaging standards are met and they are labelled correctly, with safety measures in place when it comes to protecting staff, public and the environment.
  • Recordkeeping: records should be kept of the Pre-Acceptance Audit to be referred to for documentation, regulatory review or compliance needs.

Anenta’s remote app gives you the ability to meet waste audit requirements with ease. Follow the step by step process to conduct compulsory clinical waste Pre-Acceptance Audits at the same time as Duty of Care Audits, all simplified with the use of our app.

Operated from a desktop as well as mobile devices, Anenta’s secure app takes you through the audit process, covering duty of care and waste pre-acceptance in one go. Complete in 40 minutes, the app streamlines a process that would take up to six days when conducted on the ground – saving you valuable time and money.

Why choose Anenta for Pre-Acceptance Waste Audits?

We adopt a client-centric approach, providing trustworthy guidance through the Pre-Acceptance Audit process.

  • We understand the challenges of waste management, and that’s why we made the Pre-Acceptance Audit and Duty of Care Audit process more accessible with our remote app.
  • Save time and money by eliminating the need for third-party on-site audits.
  • Trust in the experts to unify your waste management audits and cater for stakeholders across multiple locations.
  • We can provide a more accurate depiction of your waste profile to procure cost-effective and appropriate waste contracts and save you thousands of pounds a year.

Find out more about our Pre-Acceptance Audit services. We help you navigate your individual waste challenges and find cost efficiencies through audit assessments. Contact our team on 03301 222143 or complete our contact form.

FAQs

 

What does the audit app record?

The audit app records staff training details, verifies waste management policies, and keeps full details of assessment, including whether hazardous consignment notes are kept for three years, and in what format; a compliance requirement. The app captures information about clinical staff, rooms, and internal/external waste containers, supported by images.

 

What analysis and feedback do I get?

Once the remote audit has been completed, Anenta assesses the audit and provides a report with advisory notes and next steps. This covers: missing policies, segregation requirements, and areas where actions need to be taken to comply with regulations; be that in terms of duty of care or the clinical waste Pre-Acceptance Audit process. Giving you the ability to quickly and easily address aspects of the audit to continue operating.

 

When are Pre-Acceptance Audits needed?

Pre-Acceptance Audits are needed before waste delivery of the first batch from each healthcare facility, and then at least every 12 months for each facility that produces five tonnes or more of clinical waste per year. This report must assess for compliance and records must be kept for a minimum of three years. Facilities should ensure third-party checks meet standards, periodically review them and maintain records.