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EIR Infection Control & Water Safety

Reference: 25-26332

Date response sent: 11/11/2025

Details of enquiry

  1. Name of NHS Trust/Foundation Trust:
  2. Has your organisation reviewed NHS Estates Technical Bulletin 2024/3 with the specific note on non-tuberculous mycobacteria? (Yes/No)
  3. Does your organisation treat any of the “high-risk” patient groups listed in the NHS Estates Technical Bulletin 2024/3? Tick all that apply (Double click the box to select).
  •          Lung and/or heart transplant
  •          Cystic fibrosis
  •          Haematology/oncology patients with neutropenia,
  •          CAR-T cell patients
  •          Other solid organ transplant,
  •          Patients with long-term lines
  1. Do you have a Water Safety Group or equivalent multidisciplinary body for any water-related issues? (Yes/No).
  2. Do you currently conduct routine environmental water testing for NTM? (Yes/).

a. If yes, please state the areas tested and the frequency of testing.

6. Does your Water Safety Plan include specific controls for NTM, separate from general Legionella/Pseudomonas measures? (Yes/No)

a. If yes, please specify.

7. If NTM testing is undertaken, which laboratory/method is used, and is it UKAS-accredited to ISO 17025 for NTM testing or according to the methods suggested in the bulletin? Double click the box to select

  •   no testing undertaken
  1. If you have tested, have you detected NTM in water samples from patient care areas in the last 3 years? (Yes/No; if yes, please indicate the area(s) and summarise the control measures taken).
  2. Which control and/or remedial measures are you currently using to manage waterborne pathogens in your organisation? Tick all that apply (Double click the box to select)
  •         Point-of-use filters
  •         Temperature controls
  •         Chemical controls (any, i.e. chlorine, silver-copper ionization)
  •         Pipe removal work (including new copper pipes)
  •         Descaling and cleaning of water outlets
  •         Complete removal of outlets/sink
  •         Other (please list below)
  • Other (type here):
  1. In the last 5 years, have you made any design changes in high-risk areas specifically to reduce waterborne infection risk (e.g., removal or relocation of sinks, drainage modifications, point-of-entry filtration)? (Yes/No; please provide brief examples).
  2. Are you planning any major refurbishment in the next 5 years and/or is your organization part of the NHS New Hospital Programme? (Tick all that apply)

Response sent

  1. Name of NHS Trust/Foundation Trust:

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust

  1. Has your organisation reviewed NHS Estates Technical Bulletin 2024/3 with the specific note on non-tuberculous mycobacteria? (Yes/No)

Yes

  1. Does your organisation treat any of the “high-risk” patient groups listed in the NHS Estates Technical Bulletin 2024/3? Tick all that apply (Double click the box to select).
  •          Lung and/or heart transplant
  •          Cystic fibrosis
  •          Haematology/oncology patients with neutropenia,
  •          CAR-T cell patients
  •          Other solid organ transplant,
  •          Patients with long-term lines

 

Not applicable:

  • None of these patient groups are applicable to the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.
  • We are a small specialist NHS mental health trust with a focus on training and education, as well as providing a full range of mental health services and therapies for children and their families, young people and adults.
  • We provide outpatient, and mainly psychological services via talking therapies. We do not provide acute services, nor inpatient patient services, nor detention facilities, and do not have an A&E department
  1. Do you have a Water Safety Group or equivalent multidisciplinary body for any water-related issues? Yes
  2. Do you currently conduct routine environmental water testing for NTM?

No

  1. Does your Water Safety Plan include specific controls for NTM, separate from general Legionella/Pseudomonas measures? (Yes/No)

No

  1. If NTM testing is undertaken, which laboratory/method is used, and is it UKAS-accredited to ISO 17025 for NTM testing or according to the methods suggested in the bulletin?

N/A   – no testing undertaken

  1. If you have tested, have you detected NTM in water samples from patient care areas in the last 3 years?

N/A (have not tested for NTM)

  1. Which control and/or remedial measures are you currently using to manage waterborne pathogens in your organisation? Tick all that apply (Double click the box to select)
  •         Point-of-use filters
  •         Temperature controls
  •         Chemical controls (any, i.e. chlorine, silver-copper ionization)
  •         Pipe removal work (including new copper pipes)
  •         Descaling and cleaning of water outlets   
  •         Complete removal of outlets/sink
  •         Other (please list below)
  1. In the last 5 years, have you made any design changes in high-risk areas specifically to reduce waterborne infection risk (e.g., removal or relocation of sinks, drainage modifications, point-of-entry filtration)?

No

  1. Are you planning any major refurbishment in the next 5 years and/or is your organization part of the NHS New Hospital Programme? (Tick all that apply)
  •   Yes – planning refurbishment works
  •   Yes – part of the NHS New Hospital Plan
  •   No – neither
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