NHS launches summit to address cleanliness concerns

The NHS is to host a summit of public and private sector cleaning representatives as part of its initiative to oversee a step change in hospital cleaning services.

NHS chief executive David Nicholson is to be joined in London by health minister Ann Keen where discussions with organisations on the best approaches to improve cleaning of wards and equipment will take place.

Mr Nicholson is also expected to set out plans which enable NHS organisations to act on patient feedback rating the cleanliness of the hospital.

Additionally, he will call on hospitals to meet new national minimum cleanliness specifications and publish the latest MRSA rates for every hospital in order to boost transparency and highlight where improvements are required.

Mr Nicholson commented: “Cleaning services are critical to ensuring hospitals have the right environment to bring down infection rates.”

Ms Keen praised the current deep clean programme, highlighting that it was already bringing noticeable improvements but that the NHS needed to do more to ensure high cleanliness standards.

“We also know we need services which are better able to respond to nurse and patient concerns when they are raised at the ward level,” she said.

Last month, health secretary Alan Johnson unveiled a new strategy to tackle healthcare associated infections that would see hospitals recruit extra specialist staff.