BICSc helps Luton hospital win top star rating
February 1st 2004

The Luton & Dunstable (L&D) NHS Trust is back where it belongs with a three star (top) government rating, having dipped to a two star status for one year. Stephen Ramsden, the Trusts Chief Executive is setting a new trend - spending 25% more money on cleaning staff and their training The L&D is the biggest hospital for many miles. It is a huge rambling site, which creates its own cleaning problems. The hospital has a large local residential and industrial community to serve as well as handling many of the accidents from the M1 motorway less than a mile away. Getting cleaning high on the agenda was not difficult it was automatic when the hospital slipped a grade in the governments rating scheme. That was Stephen Ramsdens warning shot, telling him that something drastic had to be done immediately. MRSA rings alarm bells Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) the much talked about hospital-acquired infection, is known to be a major threat to all hospitals, with the number of UK cases rising. Stephen decided to take on this challenge with his cleaning problems in one year. The Trust identified that the NHS Estates recommended number of cleaning staff per square metre was insufficient to do the job effectively and that external contractors were not maintaining required standards. Three key changes were made. The first was to take the cleaning in-house under the control of cleaning expert Carmela Castagnaro, who won the Golden Service Award for cleaning at her previous hospital. Secondly the cleaning team was increased where necessary and finally, a huge British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) training scheme was started for all the cleaning staff. In one year the changes have achieved the objectives. The hospital is back with a three star rating and staff churn has been reduced because cleaners are motivated with real job satisfaction. Stephen said: A well trained staff is a motivated and effective staff. Providing sufficient people has enabled each member of the team to complete their work to their best ability, not a quick once over in the time allocated. Carmela now has a well motivated team that takes a pride in its work and we really are getting the best from them. Recognising achievement Recognising achievement is another key ingredient to the L&Ds success story. Stephen said: We invest more than average NHS groups in training and reap the benefits too. We hold a huge annual awards presentation for 400 staff and relatives at the hospital at which all nursing, cleaning, IT and management certificates and awards are presented. Good hospital cleaning is as important as good surgical or ward work and must be recognised accordingly. Our first 30 BICSc certificates have now been presented and we will put all cleaning staff through a BICSc programme. Cleaning work is too frequently regarded as an unimportant, low paid work for part timers with no career plans. This is why so many contractors have over 100% annual staff churn. As a result of the L&D managements good leadership, its refreshing attitude to training, recognising and rewarding staff it now has a lower staff turnover with great staff morale and attitude. This you can see if you watch or speak to any of the cleaning team. Stephen said: You can talk to any of our staff today, theyre proud to be cleaners. We will welcome any NHS Trust personnel to Luton to see cleaning success in action. These work ethics have been noticed and commented on by patients and visitors alike. On arrival at receptions you will find the floors sparkling clean despite the very heavy footfall. Call to cleaning action Speaking on the current state of hospital cleaning Stephen said: For too long the NHS has seen cleaning as an area to cut costs. It was a short-term gain with long-term problems. You will soon see more Trusts doing their own thing and training their own staff. You might get away with a lick and a promise for a short time in the commercial sector, but our sector is responsible for the health of the nation and there are no second chances with cross infection. With our way of working, the job is done better and our patient survey confirms this. Its a win, win, win situation. The staff win as they get better-paid and real job satisfaction. The patients and their visitors win and ultimately the Trust wins. If we can help reduce the number of MRSA cases and their subsequent cost to the NHS by 10%, you can imagine how much more cash we can put back into patient care? Value for money in cleaning You only get what you pay for and the Trust has taken a fresh look at what was a Cinderella industry. At last the government is doing something about MRSA and insisted on creating Housekeeper positions in every hospital. That is the first positive move and hopefully one that will clear out the non-performing cleaning teams. The day of reckoning has arrived and the public has had enough of ineffective second rate cleaning that has ill effects on their friends and families.

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