Review of cleanliness services in hospitals

A draft standard of interest has been published for public comment. It is coded PAS 5748:2014 and titled “Specification for the planning, application, measurement and review of cleanliness services in hospitals”.

It specifies requirements for:

a) governing cleanliness services;

b) assessing risk and categorizing elements and functional areas;

c) providing cleaning tasks, including:

1) identifying cleaning tasks;

2) risk assessment of cleaning tasks;

3) providing method statements;

4) setting cleaning frequencies;

5) setting work schedules;

6) establishing competence;

7) contingency planning;

d) measuring cleanliness on the basis of visual assessment;

e) implementing corrective action;

f) conducting performance analysis and implementing improvement actions;

g) providing a continuous service improvement plan; and

h) reporting cleanliness.

In the draft standard, two types of risk are specifically identified:

infection risk – The risk of infection for patients; and

confidence risk – The risk of a poor public image and the loss of confidence in patients and staff of the organization’s ability to provide a clean, safe environment for care.

To review the standard, please contact your national standards office.

Posted by Tim Sandle