Theatre & Endoscopy Service Technicians

Theatre and Endoscopy Service Technicians Ltd (TEST Ltd) is a United Kingdom-based specialist testing and validation organisation formed and operated by engineering and clinical professionals. The company provides end-to-end decontamination compliance services, combining an in-house UKAS accredited microbiological testing laboratory with on-site validation, maintenance, and equipment supply. TEST Ltd has built a reputation across the healthcare sector for gold-standard service, serving clients that include NHS trusts, The Nuffield Group, Vanguard Healthcare, and veterinary hospitals, offering a complete one-stop solution from device procurement through installation, periodic testing, and formal validation reporting.

The company's UKAS accredited in-house laboratory is the backbone of its service offering, enabling rapid turnaround of microbiological analyses and reducing costs compared to outsourced testing. UKAS accreditation — the United Kingdom's national accreditation body, operating to the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 — covers a defined scope that includes Total Viable Count (TVC) testing, endotoxin testing, Pseudomonas and Legionella testing, surrogate device and biofilm testing, and environmental mycobacteria analysis. This breadth of accredited capability allows TEST Ltd to service the full annual validation cycle and ongoing weekly monitoring programmes required under UK healthcare technical memoranda.

A core focus of TEST Ltd is the microbiological testing of final rinse water from washer-disinfectors used to reprocess endoscopes and other medical devices. Total Viable Count (TVC) testing using the membrane filtration technique is offered on a weekly basis, with a dedicated courier collection service, supplied sample bottles, electronic result reporting, and telephone support from qualified staff. This routine monitoring programme is required under HTM 01-06 (and its Welsh and Northern Irish equivalents WHTM 01-06 and NIHTM 01-06) to detect mesophilic organisms that could compromise patient safety by contaminating decontamination equipment.

For annual validation programmes, TEST Ltd produces and supplies surrogate devices and biofilm preparations used to challenge the performance of washer-disinfectors and drying cabinets, validated to HTM 01-06, WHTM 01-06, NIHTM 01-06, and BS EN ISO 16442. The laboratory also performs endotoxin testing on final rinse water samples — quantifying lipopolysaccharide contamination from Gram-negative bacteria using an in-house method — and conducts endoscope swab testing as a post-decontamination cleaning confirmation test introduced in the updated HTM 01-06. Swabs are tested for residual protein and residual microorganisms, providing confidence that decontamination regimes are delivering consistent and safe results.

Water hygiene testing extends beyond endoscopy to broader healthcare water safety. TEST Ltd offers Pseudomonas aeruginosa testing of water outlets and taps in line with the HTM 04-01 Addendum and HTM 01-06, as well as Legionella-specific microbiological analysis. Legionella testing includes enumeration of total viable bacteria (acting as a measure of overall microbial control) and Legionella-specific culture, helping premises duty-holders meet their Health and Safety obligations for water risk management in areas where at-risk staff or patient groups may be exposed.

Beyond water and endoscope testing, TEST Ltd offers microbiological air sampling for cleanrooms, operating theatres, endoscopy suites, and decontamination areas — addressing the airborne contamination monitoring requirements of these controlled environments. The company also provides Peracetic Acid (PAA) room monitoring services for Jet Automatic endoscope reprocessors, supporting compliance with JAG (Joint Advisory Group on GI Endoscopy) audit requirements. Together, these air and chemical monitoring capabilities complement the microbiological water-testing programme to cover the full environmental monitoring needs of endoscopy and decontamination departments.

Qualified engineers and test persons at TEST Ltd carry out on-site validation of endoscopy reprocessors, ultrasonic baths, clean and wash apparatus, autoclaves, and water supplies in line with government guidelines and applicable HTM standards. Validation reporting is delivered electronically through TQ Soft combined with IPreports, enabling fast production of clear, audit-ready validation documentation. For any organisation seeking a credible, accredited testing partner for medical device decontamination compliance — whether an NHS trust, independent hospital group, or veterinary facility — TEST Ltd offers the full spectrum of laboratory analysis, on-site testing, and technical consultancy under a single accredited quality framework.