Care Quality Commission's National Specification for Cleanliness standards. These specifications have four main aims. To assist providers in making sure that risks for infection are reduced significantly during the delivery of services.
To provide a good framework that will allow cleaning services to be arranged effectively. To make sure that the appropriate documentation is being provided that proves how medical processes are being managed. To emphasise that cleaning is a shared responsibility that does not just involve the cleaning team.
Not all cleaning companies even know these standards exist, if you are a health care provider you need to be asking questions of your cleaning company
€ Are they fully conversant with all the CQC requirements?
€ Are they one of the most experienced cleaning companies?
€ Are they experienced in with dealing with medical waste?
€ Do they already deal with many medical institutions?
Care Quality Commission - Was set up to ensure patients received a very good standard of care across all areas of the NHS. They have set out some very detailed guidelines explaining what standards should be maintained and have even gone as far as to say how these should be achieved.
These guidelines are then audited and monitored by various CQC appointed inspectors. This does not seem to have eliminated Infection Control inspections by the responsible PCT or Trust bodies, which your cleaning can also assist you with. The CQC remit is very wide ranging and this is leading to a degree of confusion, and interpretation, especially in certain areas such as CRB Checking and Infection Control. One thing that is not in doubt is that to be able to continue to practice it is necessary for all surgeries to register by April 2013.
Your cleaning operatives must be conversant with the requirements and will ensure that your establishment will be able to comply with the CQC's ongoing monitoring system. To help surgeries it is suggested that the following items must be included in the cleaning specification.
DAILY:
- Disinfect all door handles and push plates
- Wipe down and disinfect all work surfaces and sinks in treatment rooms.
- Wipe clean and disinfect the top(s) of reception desk(s) and counters.
- Wipe clean and disinfect the surface of couches and replace the paper roll.
- Wipe clean and disinfect all handrails and banisters.
- Wipe clean and disinfect hard type waiting room furniture and spray disinfect soft furniture coverings.
- Wipe clean and disinfect all ancillary equipment in waiting areas (blood pressure checkers, height machines etc)
- TV / Patient monitors dust and clean screens.
WEEKLY:
- Wipe clean and disinfect all couch frames in treatment rooms
- Replace privacy curtains if disposable ones are used
MONTHLY:
- Wipe clean and disinfect the high level frame of privacy screens.
Recommendations to Consider
It is also suggested that everything should be cleaned and disinfected in between every patient so as to ensure there is no cross infection. Also that all surfaces etc should be made of certain materials so as to avoid the risk of incubation. ( this means changing carpets for hard floors (especially in treatment rooms), it means replacing privacy curtains with disposable curtains. Where Altro type safety flooring is opted to replace previous coverings, cleaning materials are all approved by the manufacturers to be suitable for the cleaning of this flooring. A periodic scrub of Altro type flooring is highly recommended due to the specific characteristics that can give it an appearance of being dirty after an extended period of use.
C R B
Everyone who comes into contact with patients should be CRB checked ( DBS as it is now known ). As for cleaning operatives if they are cleaning outside surgery hours and will not meet patients I believe this is not needed. You could ask your cleaning company to use confidentiality agreements which have always proved suitable for the purposes of maintaining patient confidentiality.
Colour Coding
Ensure that colour coded mops, buckets and cloths are on site with a poster clearly showing areas and colour of equipment to be used, in accordance with the NPSA Colour Coding scheme.
Disinfection Chemicals
It is recommended using 2 different anti-viral disinfectants (both effective against MRSA, H1N1,c-difficil etc) to prevent the spread of infection on a rotational basis, as it is recommended not to use the same chemical for too long as germs can build up a resistance to it. These are amongst the latest development in cleaning materials and have been specifically engineered with today's needs in mind.
House Keeping
Ensure COSHH sheets are on site for all materials.
Inspections
Your cleaning service provider should want to ensure the best possible service to their clients and should arrange for someone to be available if you are inspected to help give all information required, explain their practices, and quickly resolve any issues. They should also be happy to make amendments to the specification as and when new requirements come in.
To provide a good framework that will allow cleaning services to be arranged effectively. To make sure that the appropriate documentation is being provided that proves how medical processes are being managed. To emphasise that cleaning is a shared responsibility that does not just involve the cleaning team.
Not all cleaning companies even know these standards exist, if you are a health care provider you need to be asking questions of your cleaning company
€ Are they fully conversant with all the CQC requirements?
€ Are they one of the most experienced cleaning companies?
€ Are they experienced in with dealing with medical waste?
€ Do they already deal with many medical institutions?
Care Quality Commission - Was set up to ensure patients received a very good standard of care across all areas of the NHS. They have set out some very detailed guidelines explaining what standards should be maintained and have even gone as far as to say how these should be achieved.
These guidelines are then audited and monitored by various CQC appointed inspectors. This does not seem to have eliminated Infection Control inspections by the responsible PCT or Trust bodies, which your cleaning can also assist you with. The CQC remit is very wide ranging and this is leading to a degree of confusion, and interpretation, especially in certain areas such as CRB Checking and Infection Control. One thing that is not in doubt is that to be able to continue to practice it is necessary for all surgeries to register by April 2013.
Your cleaning operatives must be conversant with the requirements and will ensure that your establishment will be able to comply with the CQC's ongoing monitoring system. To help surgeries it is suggested that the following items must be included in the cleaning specification.
DAILY:
- Disinfect all door handles and push plates
- Wipe down and disinfect all work surfaces and sinks in treatment rooms.
- Wipe clean and disinfect the top(s) of reception desk(s) and counters.
- Wipe clean and disinfect the surface of couches and replace the paper roll.
- Wipe clean and disinfect all handrails and banisters.
- Wipe clean and disinfect hard type waiting room furniture and spray disinfect soft furniture coverings.
- Wipe clean and disinfect all ancillary equipment in waiting areas (blood pressure checkers, height machines etc)
- TV / Patient monitors dust and clean screens.
WEEKLY:
- Wipe clean and disinfect all couch frames in treatment rooms
- Replace privacy curtains if disposable ones are used
MONTHLY:
- Wipe clean and disinfect the high level frame of privacy screens.
Recommendations to Consider
It is also suggested that everything should be cleaned and disinfected in between every patient so as to ensure there is no cross infection. Also that all surfaces etc should be made of certain materials so as to avoid the risk of incubation. ( this means changing carpets for hard floors (especially in treatment rooms), it means replacing privacy curtains with disposable curtains. Where Altro type safety flooring is opted to replace previous coverings, cleaning materials are all approved by the manufacturers to be suitable for the cleaning of this flooring. A periodic scrub of Altro type flooring is highly recommended due to the specific characteristics that can give it an appearance of being dirty after an extended period of use.
C R B
Everyone who comes into contact with patients should be CRB checked ( DBS as it is now known ). As for cleaning operatives if they are cleaning outside surgery hours and will not meet patients I believe this is not needed. You could ask your cleaning company to use confidentiality agreements which have always proved suitable for the purposes of maintaining patient confidentiality.
Colour Coding
Ensure that colour coded mops, buckets and cloths are on site with a poster clearly showing areas and colour of equipment to be used, in accordance with the NPSA Colour Coding scheme.
Disinfection Chemicals
It is recommended using 2 different anti-viral disinfectants (both effective against MRSA, H1N1,c-difficil etc) to prevent the spread of infection on a rotational basis, as it is recommended not to use the same chemical for too long as germs can build up a resistance to it. These are amongst the latest development in cleaning materials and have been specifically engineered with today's needs in mind.
House Keeping
Ensure COSHH sheets are on site for all materials.
Inspections
Your cleaning service provider should want to ensure the best possible service to their clients and should arrange for someone to be available if you are inspected to help give all information required, explain their practices, and quickly resolve any issues. They should also be happy to make amendments to the specification as and when new requirements come in.