Whether you are stocking a new treatment room or replacing instruments across a theatre suite, these questions help you compare suppliers on more than price.
The instruments
- Material: are they surgical-grade stainless steel, with hardened steel for jaws and blades?
- Finish: satin finishes reduce glare under theatre lights; check that box joints, ratchets and serrations are cleanly finished.
- Marking: are instruments marked with a catalogue code so they can be identified and reordered?
- Conformity: do reusable instruments carry CE or UKCA marking as Class I medical devices, and can the supplier provide certificates of conformity?
- Reprocessing instructions: are cleaning and sterilisation instructions available?
The supplier
- Range: can they supply the full tray — not just the common items — so you deal with one supplier?
- Inspection: are instruments checked before dispatch?
- Warranty and returns: what happens if an instrument is faulty, and how quickly?
- Custom sets: can they make up sets to your lists and label them for easy reordering?
- Responsiveness: how quickly do they quote, and can you speak to someone who knows the product?
Total cost, not unit price
A cheaper instrument that needs repair twice as often, or replacing within a year, is rarely cheaper. Consider expected life, repair costs and the time your team spends dealing with failures.
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