Union’s prescription to defeat killer superbugs

Date published: 15/04/2008

Hospitals should be forced to employ more cleaners and set up special committees made up of staff and managers to tackle killer bugs and infections, according to a leading union.

Unison called for two cleaners to be employed per shift for every 30 patients and for hospitals to be cleaned from 8am to 9pm.

The union complained there were no minimum staffing levels for cleaners or times for hospitals to be cleaned.

Unison also pressed for committees to be established in every single hospital in the UK, made up of cleaners, domestic supervisors, nurses and managers to help fight MRSA and C Difficile.

Karen Jennings, Unison’s head of health, said at the union’s health workers’ conference in Manchester: “We need to use the whole hospital team if we are going to fight these super bugs.

“Cleaning staff are frustrated because they know which cleaning products are effective, what equipment they need, how many staff it takes to really clean a ward well, but they are rarely consulted or listened to.

“It should be a requirement that all NHS organisations have safe minimum staffing levels for their cleaning services that are based on quality, not cost, and with staff receiving proper, up to date training and equipment.

“We believe you need a minimum of two cleaning staff per shift for every 30 patients from 8am to 9pm to keep patients safe and hospitals infection free.”

Ms Jennings said the recent deep clean exercise in hospitals was worthwhile but was only a starting point because regular, targeted cleaning would significantly cut the instances of MRSA.