5 Contracts out
Resolution submitted by the RCN Greater Glasgow and Clyde Branch
That this meeting of RCN Congress demands that RCN Council lobbies government to end contract cleaning in the NHS
Work led by the RCN Public Policy Committee.
The resolution brought forward a passionate debate about the decline in hospital cleanliness and the link to rising infection levels. Congress called for the return of ward domestics and to once again make them an integral part of the nursing team. It was said that the use of contract cleaners can lead to poor standards of hygiene and that contract companies did not understand cleaning in a hospital environment. Speakers highlighted that it is essential that nurses manage cleaning staff, are able to instil basic standards and precautions and have control over cleaning rotas. The work of cleaning staff must be recognised as important and valuable within the NHS.
Whilst Northern Ireland has been committed to the employment of in-house (non-contracted cleaners) for some time, Wales committed to ceasing the use of non-NHS cleaning staff in 2007. In October 2008 a decision was taken by the Scottish government to cease the use of contracted agencies to undertake hospital cleaning. From a UK perspective only England remained affected by the resolution principles which are that the use of contracted agencies to undertake cleaning of NHS hospitals cease.
As a UK-wide focus group was therefore not instigated but a draft questionnaire to ask membership about their experience of cleaning services is currently being developed as part of the work plan for revision of the Wipe it Out campaign in 2009. The exercise will also seek members' views on the importance of the local accountability of cleaners as members of the ward team. The findings will be used to inform future RCN policy and work on cleanliness issues.
The RCN has continued to highlight the importance of cleanliness and the health care associated infections (HCAI) agenda, and to focus on the challenges of using contracted services as part of PFI consortia and the difficulties in reversing or changing contracts. Following the 2008 Cleanliness Summit (England) to tackle unresponsive cleaning services, the RCN submitted a letter to NHS Chief Executive David Nicholson highlighting public misperceptions around the ability of matrons to withhold payment for cleaning services and the complexity of legal contracts for the supply of contracted agencies (England only).
Results of the cleanliness membership survey are due for release later this year. Following analysis of the survey findings, the RCN will prepare a series of recommendations, together with a policy briefing on the use of contracted cleaning in the NHS (England).