BCC calls for cleaning industry chiefs to help reform hospital cleaning regimes
September 25th 2007

Cleaning industry chiefs should be brought in to to help solve inadequacies in the hospital cleaning system, the British Cleaning Council had said.

"Sadly, for too long now, many UK hospitals are failing to hit the mark in hygiene terms," says Steve Wright, chairman of BCC. "Cleanliness is critical in all healthcare environments and many seem to be lacking the ability to rectify failures. Unless hospitals managers avail themselves of cleaning industry know-how, the hospital cleaning crisis will continue."

The BCC points to confusion over whose responsibility cleaning actually is as one of the main culprits for these failures and also suggests there is uncertainty over how much should be spent.

With the BCC`s member associations having over 500 years of experience between them there is no shortage of expert knowledge in the cleaning industry, the BCC points out.

The British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) has been using its own cleaning colour coding system for differing workplaces for many years, yet conversely, bodies such as the National Patient Safety Agency have recently introduced their own.

BICSc has produced a guide on best value in building cleaning as well as one with the Cleaning & Support Services` Association (CSSA), on quality management, with sections on hospital cleaning.

Continued Steve: "We would like to see a cleaning inspector in every hospital and believe that hospital cleaners should be trained by experts in the classroom and on the job.”

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