EFFECTIVE HEALTHCARE CLEANING

12 Jun 2018

When discussing hygiene issues relating to hospitals and other healthcare environments there is a very high level of challenges facing these organisations specific to cleaning.

The sheer size of some healthcare estates can seem an overwhelming task for cleaning professionals, and coupled with the fact that certain areas have their own individual and specific cleaning requirements, means using the right tools for the job is paramount.

Daniel Cross, Marketing lead at Vaclensa, says “regardless of your environment, whether you are cleaning the changing room of a fashion retail store or a corridor in a hotel, we all want to achieve the best possible result.  But when it comes to an environment such as a hospital, you are cleaning to prevent the spread of infection and bacteria, as well as for aesthetics.”

The use of hand sanitizer by staff and visitors as they enter and leave a ward has had a huge impact on reducing healthcare associated infections (HCAI’s) but as Daniel points out, “aside from using your hands to open doors, the second most used surface we all encounter is the floor.”

“A bed being rushed from the ambulance through A&E may well have a badly injured patient losing blood onto the floor.  And while I'm sure someone would rush out with a mop and bucket to wipe it away, that may not always be enough and the cleanliness of the floors can affect patients returning from surgery.” 

Daniel, who was invited to deliver a talk on effective cleaning within healthcare environments at the IHEEM Healthcare Estates exhibition at Manchester Central in October 2017, comments “just because a floor is nice and shiny and has been buffed and polished doesn't mean it's clean.”

Within almost every building there is a mixture of floor types.  Carpeted areas, tiled bathroom and shower areas, granite, linoleum, and areas of concrete that require cleaning.  Time and cost come into focus when you consider you may need a vacuum cleaner for the staff room, then a scrubber dryer for the wards, then a steam cleaner for the kitchen area.

With the above in mind, Daniel says “costs can be reduced by working with a supplier such as Vaclensa which is essentially a ‘one-stop shop’ for all your products, service and training”.

The benefits of a properly and effectively cleaned environment are many for the healthcare industry.  By reducing the HCAI’s you reduce the chances of patients being admitted for longer than required, reducing the overall budget spend and allowing the next patient waiting to be given a bed and the treatment they need.

In turn a clean environment can result in a better inspection visit from both official bodies like the Care Quality Commission, and from PEAT assessments conducted by end users which are then taken into consideration by the CQC.

Vaclensa are currently an approved framework supplier for the NHS and offer products in every category, ensuring your environment, privately owned facilities, internal team or contract cleaning team are fully equipment with the tools and training to successfully complete the cleaning tasks at hand.