Sponsored by
£4m cost
to clean
hospitals
THE cost of wiping out deadly bugs from Wigan hospitals last year was more than £4m.
Deep cleaning and 24-hour services were introduced across local facilities in a bid to beat infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile .
In 2010/11, Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust spent £3,334,001 on cleaning services, whilst Ashton, Leigh and Wigan Primary Care Trust accumulated £816,156 in bills - totalling £4,150,157.
This includes deep clean, labour and material costs for all directly employed and contract staff covers contract support costs, equipment and uniform costs.
The cost has fluctuated from £3,655,360 in 2008/09 to £4,082,702 in 2009/10 to £3,334,001 last year.
Cleanliness became the subject of contention nationally around four years ago when the Department of Health introduced deep cleaning in a bid to prevent cases of Clostridium difficile.
Wigan’s hospitals adhered to the moves, as well as introducing a new uniform policy and challenging people who were not washing their hands.
Over the last few weeks, Wigan Infirmary underwent a stringent cleaning policy following an outbreak of the Norovirus.
Wards were deep cleaned, which consists of a mixture of cleaning techniques, which include steam cleaning and a hypochlorite detergent to clean every environmental surface and equipment.
A spokesman for WWL NHS Foundation Trust said: “WWL has reviewed its cleaning procedures and where cleaning takes place in office accommodation we have reduced this to transfer the staffing element into our clinical areas improving the National Cleaning Standards scoring to exceed 95 per cent for our wards.
“Cleaning products have been sourced through alternative suppliers at cost- effective rates ensuring best value for money.
“And we are currently looking to enter into alliances with external organisations to reduce this further.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Wigan
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: East
Comments
There are 9 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
JemmyH
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 06:04 PMHow long has Wrightington Hospital been a 'Wigan' hospital?
Removed by moderator
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 02:46 AMFor once, all, who have commented agree. Common Sense, prevails.
jupiter
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 04:07 PMIf the cleaning was done properly then there wouldn't be so many infections. Better to spend the money on bringing things back in house and having a greater control on what is happening instead of contracting everything out (at what appear to me to be excessive rates).
Scarecrow
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 07:36 AMThere should be no private cleaning firms in the NHS
Removed by moderator
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 01:21 AM2..steamtrain123 ........Ditto, " Its time everything was brought back in house instead of contracting everything out "......Stop using Agency staff....employ cleaners paid by the NHS, you will get consiencious, loyal staff, who take pride in their work...there is no price on a persons health.
Removed by moderator
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 01:13 AMA few years ago my Son was a Patient at Pendlebury Childrens Hospital. The cleaner on the Ward moped the Womens Toilets, she then used the same water and mop to start cleaning the Ward, ( where children were receiving treatment for Kidney diesease ) with the same bucket of water and mop.......I complained this was not ideal, I fear this practice is still happening today.
Removed by moderator
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 12:58 AMBring back Matrons...Give Hospital staff changeing rooms, to put on their uniforms, in the Hospital, and let the Hospital wash NHS staff uniforms at 60 degrees to kill germs.
steamtrain123
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 08:12 PMMy mum was a cleaner for the nhs and their was never out like this, its time everything was brought back in house instead of contracting everything out.
wigangirl
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 03:02 PMIt's far better to spend this amount of money on deep cleaning against infections, rather than having to pay out in compensations to anyone who has suffered these infections through hospital stay.
Page 1 of 1
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.