Patients expect hospitals to be clean, and there is clear evidence of a tremendous improvement in cleanliness and infection control standards. This award acknowledges the efforts made by NHS organisations in recent years to raise standards in cleanliness and reduce the risk of hospital acquired infections.
2010 Winner: Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust
Patient safety, including reducing the number of infections patients acquire when in hospital, remains the number one priority at Ipswich Hospital. A series of anti-infection measures have been introduced across all departments including reduced visiting times in a bid to stop the spread of infections, a new isolation ward, regular deep cleaning of wards and a major hand-washing campaign. Opened in 2008, The Garrett Anderson centre boosted the hospital’s infection control crackdown as it includes four isolation rooms where air pressure can be controlled to care for patients with or susceptible to infections. Each of the isolation rooms has an ante-chamber sterile area for gearing up, and enhanced ventilation. One has been designed for children and has space for a bed for their parent/carer. These are also linked to a sophistictated patient monitoring system. Patient Environment Action Team data reports a high level of cleanliness throughout the hospital. In the 2009/10 hospital year, there was a 49% fall in Clostridium difficile (C.diff) cases and a 25% reduction in MRSA bacteraemia. Ipswich Trust was also named by Doctor Fosters Research at its top medium sized hospitals trust for 2010.
Commended:
Torbay Care Trust
Over the past two years, there has be regeneration of the Paignton and Brixham hospital sites, with the ward facilities being dramatically improved and upgraded. To maintain its high standards, Torbay has appointed a specialist cleaning team which undertakes a deep clean of clinical areas every six months, or following any outbreak of infection. This is is in addition to its existing daily, routine cleaning schedule. This whole routine utilises the Virusolve+ range of High Level disinfectants and cleaners. Monthly Cleanliness and Environmental Audits are conducted by the Hospital Matrons and Hotel Service Manager. Both hospitals received excellent scores in all three categories of PEAT, and continue to receive top marks for cleanliness.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has a major cleaning requirement covering six sites, a multitude of wards and operating theatres, and a huge expanse of space. Regular reviews of cleaning were not reporting any particular problems but the Trust’s operations team believed that there was scope for improvement. The rollout of a new Cleaning Management System, incorporating appropriate equipment and training, means that Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is now cleaned in the most effective way possible – from a hygiene perspective and in terms of the time spent cleaning. Each area is thoroughly cleaned on a continual basis, with all floors scrubbed and polished using machines most appropriate to the surface and location.
Visit the Amity Ltd website for more information on Torbay Care Trust in top three cleanest hopsitals thanks to Virusolve+