TOMORROW’S CLEANING APRIL 10

NHS cleaners could scrub up well with extra training

ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, ONE IN 10 PATIENTS ACQUIRES AN INFECTION WHILST IN HOSPITAL RESULTING IN A STAY THREE TIMES LONGER THAN OTHER PATIENTS WITH SIMILAR ORIGINAL SYMPTOMS. SO WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN? WHO ALLOWS IT? AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO REDUCE HOSPITAL STAYS? SOME BELIEVE THE ANSWER IS IN THE TRAINING.

There are a variety of reasons offered for the increase in cases of MRSA and C. difficile but regardless of the potential causes, one of the ways of addressing the problem is inevitably by ensuring the cleanliness of the healthcare environment is maintained to appropriate levels.

The fact that one in 10 patients obtains an infection whilst in hospital is staggering. And this of course places tremendous additional financial pressure on an already “cash strapped” health service.

If you are a contract holder supplying cleaning services to the NHS, imagine the added value of being able to demonstrate that your staff is trained to National Standards for the cleaning role they complete.

Not only this but imagine if the training also accommodated specific company messages to be embedded alongside key contractual requirements. A costly exercise you may think but if you were able to access funding to deliver all of this, it must surely be as safe a bet as currently exists?

However, funding can be troublesome to access or perhaps more importantly, it can be hard to get the delivery service that truly reflects the unique needs of those working within the Cleaning Sector. Using people who can support you helps to ease the burden and will allow your organisation to demonstrate your commitment to your staff and most importantly demonstrate to your clients and the contracts you are delivering the services to that you are

truly committed to achieving the exacting standards often expected as the “norm”.

Many employers have seen the benefit of allowing their staff to go onto nationally recognised, funded programmes. However it is not always the generic programme that ticks all the boxes, so if there was the opportunity to consider the content of the programmes in terms of your company standards and also the standards expected from the contracts you hold, this adds further credibility to qualifications.

Add into the mix that there is funding available to deliver the programmes then you truly do have an attractive opportunity, particularly when other budgets are being stretched to breaking point. Making the first step towards achieving all or part of the above could not be simpler.

Through “Learning at Work” employers large and small can meet and discuss their organisations specific needs and explore ways

HEALTHCARE & HOSPITAL HYGIENE

68 | TOMORROW’S CLEANING | The future of our cleaning industry

to access funding and delivery solutions that truly reflect their requirements whether locally or nationally.

In fact, a visit to your company and the preliminary conversations are all part of the service “Learning at Work” provides to ensure your end goal is both achievable and realistic. The process is discussed

and agreed at all stages and whilst robust, due to the expectations placed on those using Government funding, it will result in the implementation of a development process that is truly designed to help you demonstrate your ability to deliver the service and performance standards your clients expect.

If you are interested in accessing funded training in the Cleaning Sector or would like to discuss accessing funded training that could meet your needs, “Learning at Work” would be happy to visit your organisation and discuss the options.

For more information contact info@learning-work.co.uk

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