CSSA NEWS
The CSSA is active in promoting our members' interests to the media and the wider world. Please find below our press releases.
Hand Washing
Released on 29/01/2010
Doctors in Scotland were criticised yesterday for putting their patients at risk by not washing their hands enough on hospital wards, as they failed to meet the hand hygiene target of 90 per cent compliance set by the Scottish government.
The latest figures showed the compliance rate for hand hygiene in hospitals had increased to 94 per cent among all workers. But there were large discrepancies between different staff groups, with doctors singled out as the worst offenders.
Andrew Large, Chief Executive of the Cleaning and Support Services Association, said: "It is a matter of serious concern that doctors are lagging behind when it comes to washing their hands. Hospital acquired infections cost lives, and doctors should be setting an example for other health workers to follow."
Meanwhile, the Journal of Hospital Infection published a report stating that the UK’s HAI infection rates are amongst the highest in Europe. The report stated that "Scotland and the rest of the UK continue to have relatively high rates of MRSA, in common with Mediterranean countries, Romania and Ireland.
MRSA is a particular challenge in hospitals, as patients with wounds, invasive devices and weakened immune systems are at greater risk of infection than the general public."
Steve Wright, Chairman of the British Cleaning Council, said: “This report reinforces the central role of infection control procedures, and shows that the UK still has some way to go to reduce its infection rates to an acceptable level. Good hand-hygiene coupled with increased cleaning staff are two of the most effective ways of managing the threat of HAI’s; we ask that hospitals are given the resources they need to ensure that they can minimise the risk they pose to patients as much as possible”.
Notes for Editors:
The report referenced in this article appeared in the Journal of Hospital Infection Volume 74, Issue 1, January 2010, Pages 35-41
Established in 1967, the Cleaning and Support Services Association is the UK trade association for private sector employers in the contract cleaning sector. CSSA members account for over 70% of the turnover in the sector and employ in excess of 300,000 people.
Andrew Large is the Chief Executive of the CSSA and Secretary General of the British Cleaning Council.
Any CSSA Enquiries should be directed to Andrew Large: contactable by telephone: 020 7920 9632 or email: alarge@cleaningassoc.org
The British Cleaning Council is the voice of the UK cleaning industry. It was established in 1982 to coordinate the affairs of the industry and to be responsible at home and abroad on industry matters.
Please direct any British Cleaning Council enquiries to Peter Carrol by telephone: 020 7920 9640 or email: press@britishcleaningcouncil.org
Contact
Andrew Large / Peter Carrol
Email: alarge@cleaningassoc.org / press@britishcleaningcouncil.org
Telephone: 020 7920 9632 / 020 7920 9640
