The expectations around instrument reprocessing in Australian healthcare are changing.
With the introduction of AS/NZS 5369:2023 in December 2023, healthcare organisations across Australia are transitioning towards more robust, validated and reproducible approaches to instrument reprocessing.
This shift is also being reflected in professional guidance. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has updated its Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines to align general practice with AS/NZS 5369:2023, providing practices with a transition period through to early 2028. Likewise, the Australian Dental Association (ADA) has incorporated the new Standard throughout the latest edition of its Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control, reinforcing validated cleaning, routine performance monitoring and quality assurance for dental practices.
While much of the conversation has focused on sterilisation, it’s important to remember that sterilisation can only be effective if instruments have first been thoroughly cleaned.
Cleaning is arguably the most critical step in the reprocessing cycle. Blood, proteins and other organic contaminants must be removed before sterilisation can reliably achieve its intended outcome. If cleaning is inconsistent, the effectiveness of every subsequent step is compromised.
A Shift from Manual Cleaning to Validated Processes
One of the key themes throughout AS/NZS 5369:2023 is the move towards validated, repeatable and quality-assured reprocessing.
Where practicable, the Standard identifies automated washer-disinfectors as the preferred method for cleaning reusable medical devices because they deliver consistent, reproducible outcomes while reducing the variability associated with manual cleaning. Automated cleaning also helps reduce manual handling of contaminated instruments, minimising the risk of sharps injuries while protecting valuable instruments from unnecessary wear caused by repeated hand scrubbing.
For many healthcare practices, this represents more than an equipment upgrade - it is a move towards a more controlled, measurable and reproducible reprocessing workflow.
Reprocessing Is Becoming a Complete Quality System
The latest RACGP guidance reinforces that safe instrument reprocessing extends well beyond simply owning a compliant steriliser.
Practices are increasingly expected to implement documented quality systems encompassing validated cleaning, ongoing performance verification, equipment maintenance, staff competency, record keeping and traceability across the entire instrument reprocessing pathway.
This reflects a broader shift across healthcare. Infection prevention is no longer assessed by individual pieces of equipment, but by the consistency, quality and reproducibility of the entire reprocessing workflow.
The Growing Role of Routine Performance Monitoring
Routine performance monitoring has become an increasingly important component of quality assurance.
For automated washer-disinfectors, AS/NZS 5369:2023 recommends routine process monitoring using an appropriate Process Challenge Device (PCD) and soil test to verify that the cleaning process is consistently achieving the required outcome.
The Australian Dental Association also reinforces the importance of routine monitoring within its latest Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control, recommending daily performance testing of washer-disinfectors, together with regular servicing and annual validation in accordance with AS/NZS 5369 and ISO 15883.
Regular performance monitoring provides confidence that equipment continues to operate as intended while supporting a practice’s documented quality assurance program.
Supporting Safer, More Efficient Workflows
Modern automated washer-disinfectors also deliver significant workflow advantages.
Systems such as the Mocom Tethys H10+ combine pre-rinse, ultrasonic cleaning with detergent, thermal disinfection at 90°C and forced-air drying into a single automated 34-minute cycle. Designed with the workflow of modern healthcare practices in mind, the chamber capacity closely matches that of a typical benchtop steriliser, allowing instruments to move efficiently through the reprocessing cycle without creating unnecessary bottlenecks.
The result is not only greater efficiency, but clean, dry instruments ready for packaging and sterilisation, with reduced manual handling and greater consistency throughout the reprocessing process.
Practices that have adopted automated washer-disinfectors consistently report improved workflow, greater staff confidence and more predictable reprocessing outcomes.
Looking Ahead
As infection prevention standards continue to evolve, the conversation is shifting away from simply asking, “Is the steriliser compliant?” to asking, “Is the entire reprocessing workflow validated, monitored and reproducible?”
Across general practice, dentistry, podiatry, day surgery and many other healthcare settings, automated cleaning technology is no longer simply about improving efficiency.
It is about supporting compliance, protecting staff and patients, improving workflow, reducing risk, and providing confidence that every reusable medical device entering the steriliser has first undergone a consistent, validated and reproducible cleaning process.
As Australia’s infection prevention standards continue to mature, practices that invest in validated automated cleaning are not simply preparing for compliance—they are investing in safer, more consistent outcomes for both patients and healthcare professionals.