Raising cleaning standards in hospitals

Citation

(2000), "Raising cleaning standards in hospitals", Facilities, Vol. 18 No. 1/2. https://doi.org/10.1108/f.2000.06918aab.015

Raising cleaning standards in hospitals

Keywords NHS, Cleaning, Standards

The lack of a body within the NHS over the past ten to 15 years to oversee the standards of cleaning in hospitals has, says the Association of Domestic Management, resulted in the steady erosion of these standards; hence the need for the kind of project which is now to be supported by the British Cleaning Council (BCC). Following a survey by the Infection Control Nurses Association (ICNA) in 1997 of the structure and process of the provision of cleaning in hospitals, the Association of Domestic Management (ADM) last year became involved with the ICNA in a joint project to develop and promote the standards and recommendations for cleaning in hospitals and, in the long term, to research the link between standards of cleaning, the environment and hospital-acquired infection.

The project has already resulted in a new document, "Standards for environmental cleanliness in hospitals", the first definitive guide for managers and monitors of cleaning within hospitals and their infection control nurse colleagues. The document was launched at the ADM's 24th annual National Conference & Exhibition in London in April.

According to Penny Harrison, the ADM's Business Manager, the publication of this ambitious and far-reaching new work will not only raise the profile of domestic services in hospitals, whoever provides the service, but will also raise the standard of cleaning where necessary. "We are very grateful for the support of the British Cleaning Council", she said, "particularly as the Council has assisted the ADM in the past by sponsoring the production of educational guidance booklets which are still being used to help cleaning managers throughout the public sector".

The BCC's grants of £25,000 and £12,000 are the latest in a line of awards allocated by the Council to provide financial support for projects initiated by its member bodies. The cash comes from the Council's share of the proceeds of the successful series of BCSSE shows, the industry's biennial international exhibition, now known as The Cleaning Shows. According to BCC policy, such profits are returned to the industry which produced them in the form of funding for research, development and training projects which will be of ultimate benefit to the cleaning industry as a whole.

"Both of these grants", said Peter Bird, BCC chairman, "are consistent with the Council's stated aims, and we applaud the key contributions that the two initiatives will make in improving standards and encouraging the spread of training within the industry. In funding this additional resource for the NTO, we are confident that the industry can, as a result, look forward to the development of new and creative training schemes for all who work in it, right the way through from induction to management levels. We are also right behind the ADM's new initiative to set the highest standards of cleaning in hospitals", added Peter, "particularly since the joint ADM/INCA venture links those who have the responsibility for hands-on cleaning with the professional nursing body directly concerned with the welfare of patients. Hospital-acquired secondary infection has for some time been viewed as a problem area, so we are especially delighted to be able to support this endeavour to produce a definitive guide for all those involved".

For further information please contact Mrs Jay Grenby, Press Officer, 45 Seymour Road, St Albans, Herts AL3 5HN. Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1727 8622101.