Hospital cleanliness levels criticised

A report has criticised cleanliness at a Suffolk hospital after spot checks found clinical waste bins left open and dirty resuscitation equipment.

West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds has failed a hygiene code inspection after some ward areas were found not to be fully cleaned and clinical waste bins left open.

The Healthcare Commission inspection found the hospital had breached the hygiene code relating to “maintaining a clean and appropriate environment for healthcare.”

The report was critical of the management of the hospital's infection control team and facilities management and could not find enough evidence of the two liaising together. It also criticised the hospital for not publishing its cleaning schedules although it did find these were in place and regularly reviewed.

However, the inspectors, who visited the hospital in April, concluded that it did not identify any major failings, but a number of “small deficiencies.”

Chris Bown, chief executive of West Suffolk Hospital, said the NHS Trust had already taken steps to address the issues raised in the inspection by extending its “rigorous” cleaning schedules and reviewing its waste bin management practice.

“Whilst the overall findings in the report are positive, we are disappointed that the Healthcare Commission found some areas were not as clean as they should be.”

“Our staff take great pride in the hospital and in providing the safest possible care to our patients. This is reflected in our excellent infection control record, which shows that the good practices we have put in place are working well and have helped to significantly reduce incidents of hospital-acquired infections.”

“We are confident that these extra measures taken to extend our high standards still further have addressed the recommendations made by the inspectors,” he said.