Hospital and cleanliness - or the lack thereof - Page 7

BERNADETTE · 30-06-2008, 12:49

Watched a cleaner making a less than half hearted attempt at cleaning the corridor and one of the toilets in A@E the other week. Seems to me that unless some folk are being watched all the time they take no pride in their work. A sad reflection of attitudes today!!!

Bonnyboy · 30-06-2008, 12:59

Unfortunately such poor standards of cleanliness only serves to put doubts into the minds of patients and visitors. People are bound to wonder if standards are of a similar level in other aspects of healthcare.

If the public are openly presented with filth then I shudder to think what goes on around the parts of the hospital that are for staff only.

Margaret Pilkington · 30-06-2008, 13:05

Willow.......I haven't got the 'ump(not sure if you meant me,but I always feel guilty anyway)........and i think that in general the nursing staff will be pleased that you have put your complaint in writing.
I don't work for the NHS anymore, but I do know what a thankless task it can be at times...but there are other times that are worth more than gold.

It is just very hard when you feel like the general public don't appreciate you...and the management don't either. It always seems like someone is ready to throw rocks.

WillowTheWhisp · 30-06-2008, 13:21

So am I right to complain and hope something gets done or wrong to complain because that makes the nurses feel unappreciated?

Margaret Pilkington · 30-06-2008, 13:29

No, Willow, you are right to complain....and you are helping the nurses by doing so.
Frequently nursing staff will complain to upper management that they haven't the resources to do the job they are paid to do....you are justifying their complaints....and who knows at some point someone may just listen.

WillowTheWhisp · 30-06-2008, 13:35

Got the feeling that there were some people in this thread slightly dischuffed at the idea that anyone should complain about the NHS because the nurses are overworked.

Margaret Pilkington · 30-06-2008, 13:35

And I think if you recall, I was one of the people who suggested that you should complain, very early on in this thread.

I know that, that may sound very contradictory, but I'm sure other nurses know what i mean...though it isn't easy to put across.

It is just that for a long time there has been an air of 'the NHS is no good' - so it does demoralise, but I thnk we have to balance the negative with some positive stuff.....but the positive stuff doesn't make for good newspaper stories does it.

Margaret Pilkington · 30-06-2008, 13:38

Nurses are overworked.....but that doesn't mean we have to standby and let things go by that are damaging and dangerous to the folk who use the NHS.
If I gave you that feeling..... I apologise,it was unintentional. After all I shouldn't care anymore...because that is in my past.

BERNADETTE · 30-06-2008, 13:43

At the end of the day the welfare of the patients should and must come first. If anybody sees anything that causes them concern it is their duty surely to report it. If more people complained the management just might employ more staff. Just a pity they don't reintroduce Matrons, you can be sure things would improve then!!!!

Loz · 30-06-2008, 14:57

I went to visit my Grandad in hospital over the weekend and there was food on the floor around his bed-it isn't his because he can't swallow properly at the moment so god knows how long it had been there.
If we could see it how come the cleaners had missed it?
He isn't well at all and it worries you even more when you are concerned about the state of the wards etc...
We reported it but don't know whats been done if anything ATM.

Bonnyboy · 30-06-2008, 15:01

It’s scandalous.

Cleaners, nurses, doctors….do they go about their daily duties with their eyes shut

WillowTheWhisp · 30-06-2008, 15:45

Maybe it's just a case of "It's not my job to do it."

I came across enough of that in my working life but it never actually affected the health of anyone as far as I'm aware.

lettie · 30-06-2008, 16:15

Of course it is right to complain Willow, it backs up what the staff say to the management and, believe me, they are more likely to listen to you than to the staff.

When our ward cleaner is off duty, we are lucky to see a cleaner. One of the problems of contract cleaning is that the cleaners won't do anything that is not part of their contract. For example, when cleaning was put out to tender, part of the contract probably stipulates that the bins will be emptied 'x' number of times a day/week. If the bins need emptying more than that, the cleaner won't do it. Like everything else in life, you get what you pay for.

I feel that another issue is the training of student nurses at universities. Student nurses used to be trained, from scratch, on the wards. As a student nurse, you knew that you were the bottom of the pile and the least important member of the ward team. In other words, you knew your place. If the ward sister asked you to clean bedpans, dentures, vomit bowls etc. You did it, no matter how unpleasant the job, and you didn't question it.

If you ask students to do these jobs now......... there's hell to pay. They will often say that it is not their job, they are here to learn, then run off to Uni and complain to their tutors. Uni then threaten to pull all students from your ward because they are not getting the right experience (even though they are).

Nursing has changed beyond recognition in the last 10 years, more nurses are now trained to do procedures that only doctors used to do, intravenous cannulas, suturing, defibrillation and many more. Due to these increasing tasks, bedbathing, toileting, keeping somebody clean and fed and what we used to call basic nursing care has gone out of the window in favour of more technical tasks and ever increasing paperwork. I feel that there is no tier of staff to perform these basic nursing tasks any more as there is a continual lack of support staff.

All in all, I think the NHS is stuffed. Money is constantly wasted on new tiers of management, there are managers for 'Diversity and Equality' 'Patient Experience' and many other fancy titles, in order to meet Government targets. I read again today that Lord Darzi is proposing another NHS reform. This will no doubt take more staff away from the front line and put in another tier of managers to handle the changes. I, for one, would like to say to the government............ Stop ruining the NHS, any changes should take us back to basics instead of wasting money on paper exercises, quangos and managers who have job titles which leave us clueless as to what they actually do for their £50-80,000 a year.

Margaret Pilkington · 30-06-2008, 16:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loz

I went to visit my Grandad in hospital over the weekend and there was food on the floor around his bed-it isn't his because he can't swallow properly at the moment so god knows how long it had been there.
If we could see it how come the cleaners had missed it?
He isn't well at all and it worries you even more when you are concerned about the state of the wards etc...
We reported it but don't know whats been done if anything ATM.

Put your complaint in writing....if you do this it has got to be investigated, and they have to tell you how they will address your complaint.
Please do it.......you will be helping the nurses.

jaysay · 30-06-2008, 16:34

Is it any surprise that 1 in 3 patients are refusing to have operations because they are scared of catching something nasty, I've said many times that I will not go into hospital now because I'm frightened I won't come out. My days are numbered on this earth anyway and I don't want a helping hand from MRSA or C Dif to see me on my way earlier than I have to. It will have to be a last resort before they get me on an hospital ward anytime soon