A patient was so disgusted at the "filthy" hospital ward she was being treated on that she forced herself out of bed and cleaned it while still attached to a drip.Tereza Tosbell, 48, who works as a cleaner, became angry as she watched hygiene staff at work and claims their brief visit left the room as dirty as they found it.
So she tracked down cleaning materials and attacked the sink, radiator and curtain rail she said had not been wiped by the official cleaners in Colchester General Hospital.
"The radiator was filthy, there were cobwebs on the curtain rail round my bed and you could write your name in the dust on the windowsill," said Miss Tosbell.
She was admitted for three days last week with an abscess when she decided to start cleaning as she waited for her test results.
"I was stunned to see how badly they cleaned – the ward was filthy. They didn't bother to clean the cabinets or wipe the chairs that visitors use.
"They didn't use any antibacterial fluids and just grabbed sheets of paper towel. I know because of my work that hygiene in such places is ultra important.
"During the three days I was there the floor wasn't vacuumed or washed. The only time it was wiped was when a bed was moved.
"I was not prepared to put up with such conditions but I couldn't walk out so I decided to do something about it myself."
Miss Tosbell, who described the medical care she received as first-rate, added: "Patients shouldn't have to keep the wards clean – that's the job of the cleaners and it's clear they are not doing it properly."
A spokesman for Colchester Hospital University NHS said: "We are always concerned to hear of any instances where its high standards are not being met.
"All of our staff are aware of their responsibilities towards cleaning and maintenance and regular monitoring of the environment involves clinicians, staff, management and board members.
"We have also had a number of unannounced hygiene and cleanliness inspections by the Healthcare Commission and all wards inspected have been found to have a good level of cleanliness and maintained in good general repair.
"In the annual health check ratings for 2007-2008 we scored maximum marks for safety and cleanliness and we have also been praised for our very low levels of infections such as C. difficile and MRSA.
"One of our senior matrons is dedicated two days a week looking at to ways of improving things for patients. We would ask Mrs Tosbell to contact us so that we can look at her experience in more detail."
Thanks again Ara.
Angus
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2 comments:
Yes, cleaning is shit on NHS wards with contract cleaners, many of which are immigrant workers on short term contracts with large so-called facilities providers who frankly don't give a toss so long as the boxes are ticked on the work schedule. It's what we get when hospitals are using resources for everything except patient care and trying to cut costs constantly in thier bids for Foundation status, so they can screw the system for even more dosh for the Management.
But, do I detect some change ? Todays report from the Parliamentary Commission is the latest in a line of adverse reports in the last few months including those on the appalling treatment meted out in Staffs and other places. Statements from the new Care Commission and NHS Litigation Services that all complaints should be looked at without fear of being sued and of course the Campaign for Robbies' Law. For somone like me still trying for redress in me/my partners appalling treatment, it does afford some encouragement despite the gloomy picture painted by the Lawyers ( Estate Agents but with more expensive suits ). A year down the line we are still trying to find out what happened and why, with little to show except a few more scars on our already damaged psyches. Is it a light at the end of the tunnel or just another train coming ? Lets hope for the former but plan for the latter.
Best to you and keep up the pressure and prodigious output, it often inspires me to keep going on the bad days.
Thanks for that Blackdog, it has now been almost four years for me and I still don't know what happened to Mrs "A", but as you say maybe, just maybe there may be a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.
The problem with the CQC and the others is that they start out with wonderful chances, and when they find out what the NHS complaints procedure is really like, they regress to the previous mind set of the "commission" they replaced.
Thank you for your kind words, blogging is what keeps me sane:)
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