While the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has often emphasised the importance of strict personal hygiene for healthcare workers, traditionally, less focus has been placed on choosing quality commercial cleaning companies. This is, however, likely set to change, as the rates of hospital-related illnesses have continued to rise throughout the UK despite more stringent personal hygiene measures.
Currently, approximately 300,000 patients develop an infection in England each year while being treated by the NHS, with the very young, very old, and those with suppressed immune systems being at the highest risk. Many experts, including Professor Gillian Leng, of NICE, have stated that it’s unpardonable that rates are still so high in an era when we are thoroughly well aware of the role hygiene and cleanliness plays in preventing illness. “It is unacceptable that infection rates are still so high within the NHS,” says Prof. Leng, “Infections are a costly and avoidable burden. They hinder a patient’s recovery, can make underlying conditions worse, and reduce quality of life.”
While it’s true that there have been some successes in recent years—rates of MRSA and Clostridium difficile have begun to fall, for instance—one in 16 people treated in the NHS still pick up an infection of some kind during the course of their treatment owing to contaminated facilities and equipment and lapses in attention to hygiene. These infections include illnesses like pneumonia (and other similar lower respiratory tract infections), which account for 23% of all healthcare-related infections, urinary tract infections (17%), and surgical site infections (16%).
“Although there have been major improvements within the NHS in infection control, particularly in relation to Clostridium difficile and MRSA bloodstream infections in the last few years, healthcare-associated infections are still a very real threat to patients, their families and carers and staff,” Prof. Leng explains.
Sandford, director of the Royal College of Nursing in England, agrees, stating that: “Infection prevention and control are key to patient safety and need to be prioritised by every health service organisation… Infection prevention and control are serious issues that require clear leadership.”
Commercial Cleaning Companies: An Essential Partner For a Germ-Free Facility
It is often the duty of those overseeing healthcare facilities to select relevant cleaning services, and in this area, proactive action is required. “All health employers should provide leadership at a local level and support their staff in adhering to NICE’s quality standard, from making sure they receive relevant training to allowing them the time to follow the correct procedures,” advises Tom Sandford. Additionally, they should carefully review any cleaning company selected to clean the facility, ensuring that they are fully certified, thorough, and that their cleaners are well-trained.
Commercial cleaning companies selected to aid in keeping healthcare facilities infection-free must also adhere to strict quality standards: National specifications for cleanliness were set out by the NHS in 2007, and any cleaning services selected to work in a healthcare facility should therefore be ready to meet the guidelines set forth in the latest Healthcare Cleaning Manual and adopt the British standard for cleanliness in healthcare facilities (PAS 5748).
“This quality standard gives primary, community and secondary care services the most up-to-date advice on the best ways to minimise the risks of infections,” says Prof. Leng.
Choosing A Commercial Cleaning Service
If you are responsible for overseeing the care and maintenance of a medical facility and are unsure of what to look for in a cleaning company beyond the assertion that they meet the above standards, try checking for the following qualities:
Positive reviews and accessible references. Often a quick online search (using your search engine of choice) will yield an array of reviews which are suggestive of a company’s overall quality of service. If you cannot find any reviews, either ask for references you can contact by phone or select another company which is established enough to have an existing body of reviews. (Note that even if a company has good reviews, it’s wise to confirm with their references as well.)
Cleanly employees. The personal hygiene of a cleaning service’s employees often says much about the level of cleanliness they will provide on the job. Additionally, staff should be courteous and genial in order to keep the healthcare facility a true place of respite.
A professional-looking website. The quality of a company’s website usually gives an indication of how experienced and professional they are.
Cutting-edge equipment. Cleaning methods have evolved rapidly over the last few decades, ensuring a much deeper and more precise clean is possible. Ergo, you should not settle for a cleaning company which uses out of date or low-quality equipment; hire only those companies which have invested in the latest and best.