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Cleanliness a problem at Rotherham District General

Posted By GRFP006

"Cleanliness a problem at Rotherham District General"

About: Rotherham Hospital / Trauma and orthopaedics

(as the patient),

On ward B1 and A2 at the fracture clinic the staff were very nice, and treated me with kindness and concern. However in a&e the doctor had my x-rays but we were made to wait another 3 quarters of an hour before we went back and the doctor didn't even tell me I had broken my bones in my foot. It was the nurse in the plaster room who informed me of my condition.

The cleaning process on A2 was seen by me and it was unacceptable. All they did was wipe the top of an empty bed with what looked like wet wipes. I think the mattress should have been turned over and also washed properly with disinfectant soap and water. Also a nurse touched a colostomy bag without gloves and then appeared to touch the top of a feeder cup without washing her hands or even using the hand cleanser provided. A cleaner came round and never cleaned under the bed, a piece of cotton wool was under one of the beds and she cleaned around it without moving it. The side cabinets were not cleaned.

The car parking is terrible, you can go round and round looking for spaces and those who are not disabled take up disabled spaces. It is also very expensive to park as you never know how long you are going to be when you have to go back to the out patients clinic.

Other than all this the staff were very good on the wards and I would like to thank all in B1 and A2. But to not be told by the a&e doctor I had broken my foot was a bit off putting.

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Responses

Response from Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust 16 years ago
Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 06/07/2007 at 13:11

Sister Dobson and I would like to say how grateful we are for the comments received as we are constantly striving to maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene on the wards.

In regard to the wet wipes being used to clean the mattresses, this is acceptable and standard practice throughout the NHS. The wipes are soap based and can be used to do general cleaning. A bowl of soapy water and a cloth is also acceptable. Mattresses are only disinfected if there had been a patient with a specific infection, where a more thorough clean is required. The bed frames are done weekly by the Domestics based on the ward, however the mattresses should be turned over and washed on both sides. The patients bedside locker should also be washed down between patients. The Domestics sweep round the ward 3 time during the day with the velmop to pick up and dust etc and mop the ward daily. Any spillages that occur thereafter, are dealt with as they occur.

The Domestic Services Team and I, monitor the cleanliness of the wards closely and A2 always comes out very well on audit. We also have housekeepers in post now to assist with maintaining the cleanliness on the ward.

Sister Dobson and I will speak to the nursing staff regarding hand hygiene and we will continue to monitor this through the Saving Lives audit. I will discuss the cleaning issues with the Domestics on the ward. Please be assured that we will continue to monitor the situation.

Pat Edwards

Matron A1/2/3

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