Cleaning Summary

Keeping the NHS clean and preventing infection is everybody’s responsibility from the GP Partners to the healthcare cleaners. It is important for patients, visitors, the public and staff.

Cleanliness matters, and to ensure consistency throughout the NHS, and to support healthcare services, this commitment has been adopted in every organisation.

This Charter sets out our commitment to ensure a consistently high standard of cleanliness is delivered in all of our healthcare facilities. It also sets out how we would like you to help us maintain high standards.

We will:

• Treat patients in a clean and safe environment and minimise exposure to healthcare associated infections.
• Provide a well maintained, clean and safe environment, using the most appropriate and up to date cleaning methods and frequencies.
• Maintain fixtures and fittings to an acceptable condition to enable effective and safe cleaning to take place regularly.
• Allocate specific roles and responsibilities for cleaning, linked to infection prevention and control, that are underpinned by strong, clear leadership that encourages a culture where cleanliness matters.
• Have clinical leads who will establish and promote a cleanliness culture across their organisation.
• Constantly review cleanliness and improve performance.
• Take account of your views about the quality and standards of cleanliness by involving patients and visitors in reporting and monitoring how well we are doing.
• Provide the public with clear information on any measures which they can take, to assist in the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections.
• Provide the public with clear and precise information relating to the potential risk of contracting a healthcare associated infection. This will include highlighting other helpful information sources so that patients and public can access up to date local data.
• Provide structured and pro-active education and training to ensure all our staff are competent in delivering infection prevention and control practices within the remit of their role.
• Design any new facilities with ease of cleaning in mind.

We ask patients, visitors and the public to:

• Follow good hygiene practices which are displayed in and around the organisation.
• Tell us if you require any further information about cleanliness or prevention of infection.
• Work with us to monitor and improve standards of cleanliness and prevention of infection.

Practice Manager:

• Katie Howard

GP Partners:

• Dr Christopher Brookes
• Dr Holly Ash
• Dr Ed Fitzgerald
• Dr Richard Gracie
• Dr Samuel Tilley

Category: FR4

Infection Prevention and Control in Our GP Practice

• Cleevelands medical centre provides consistent and excellent infection prevention control as part of everyday practice to ensure those using our services receive safe and effective care.
• Each area of the practice has its own cleaning specification adhered to by all practice staff and cleaners.
• Our contracted cleaning company is Melton Support Services who adhere to a full schedule of general cleaning.
• Daily, weekly and monthly audits of standards of infection control are completed by practice staff.
• All staff complete annual infection control training and access to relevant policies.
• All staff adhere to the correct Personal Protective equipment guidelines.
• All staff are appropriately immunised to keep themselves and other safe.
• Regular infection control and hand hygiene events are held at the practice to raise awareness of its importance.
• Information posters and guidance are situated throughout the practice to educate patients and staff.
• Water testing and outlet monitoring takes place weekly by practice staff and monthly by a regulated company.
• Each area of the practice has a colour coding in line with the national colour coding scheme (as below).
• We continue to ask patients to wear facemasks within the practice to protect themselves, staff and others.
• If any poor infection control practice is noticed by patients, we encourage them to report this to the practice manager.
• All eligible patients will be contacted throughout the year to encourage relevant vaccination uptake.
• Cleevelands Medical Centre will be providing all seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccinations to those eligible patients at the practice itself.
• All patients are required to provide clinical specimens in appropriate containers to maintain sterility and adhere to infection control guidelines.
• We ask patients to ensure that the correct waste streams are followed. All waste is disposed of by an appropriate waste contractor.

The practice lead’s for infection control are Senior Sister Vivien Jones and Practice manager Katie Howard.

Infection Prevention is for everyone.

Isolation Areas

Should you have any signs or symptoms of severe diarrhoea, vomiting, Flu or COVID-19 please report these to the patient advisors before attending the practice.

Please report any concerns about cleanliness in the practice to the patient advisors so that we can rectify any problems immediately.

National Cleaning Colour Coding Scheme – National Patient Safety Agency

All cleaning items including cloths, mops, buckets, aprons and gloves should be colour coded as follows:

Red

Bathrooms, washrooms, showers, toilets, basins and bathroom floors.

Blue

General areas including wards, departments, offices and basins in public areas.

Green

Catering departments, ward kitchen areas and patient food service at ward level.

Yellow

Isolation areas.