Religions > Atheism > Hard-up hospital orders staff: Don't wash sheets - turn them over
| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"stoney" |
| Date: |
14 Apr 2007 04:04:42 PM |
| Object: |
Hard-up hospital orders staff: Don't wash sheets - turn them over |
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=448395&in_page_id=1774
Hard-up hospital orders staff: Don't wash sheets - turn them over
by DANIEL MARTIN - Last updated at 23:22pm on 13th April 2007
Cleaners at an NHS hospital with a poor record on superbugs have been
told to turn over dirty sheets instead of using fresh ones between
patients to save money.
Housekeeping staff at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, have been
asked to re-use sheets and pillowcases wherever possible to cut a
£500,000 laundry bill.
Posters in the hospital's linen cupboards and on doors into the A&E
department remind workers that each item costs 0.275 pence to wash.
Good Hope reported a deficit of £6million last year and was subject to a
report by the Audit Commission because of its poor financial standing.
It recorded 36 cases of MRSA from April last year to January, while
cases of clostridium difficile have more than doubled in less than a
year to 327. A Government hit squad was drafted in to solve the
infection problems last year but the trust is still failing to hit MRSA
targets.
Tony Field, chairman of Birmingham-based MRSA Support, said: 'Is that
all the safety of a patient's life is worth? 0.275 pence?
'It is utterly disgraceful and tantamount to murder because hygiene like
changing sheets is essential to protect patients.
'It proves beyond all doubt that cost- cutting is directly contributing
to hospital acquired infections.'
A Good Hope spokesman said the posters went up around two years ago and
should all have been taken down by now. But a medic insisted the posters
were still on display in A&E and the maternity unit as recently as the
past month.
'It is clear the trust is encouraging staff to "top 'n' tail" used
sheets on a bed instead of replacing them between patients,' said the
health worker, who did not wish to be named.
'The very nature of A&E should be enough reason to change sheets between
every patient as casualty sees patients who have come in with a variety
of infections, traumatic injuries and blood spill.'
Conservative healthvehealth spokesman John Baron said: 'This sounds
ludicrous and is a real cause for concern given that MRSA is such a
problem in our hospitals.
'This matter needs to be investigated at a higher level. Patient safety
must never be compromised.'
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said: 'If we are to beat
healthcareacquired infections we need the highest possible standards of
cleanliness. The idea of turning over sheets like this is extraordinary
and scandalous.'
The scheme is one of many ways that cash- strapped trusts are trying to
save money.
In January, staff at West Hertfordshire NHS Trust were amazed to receive
a memo urging them to save £2.50 a day by prescribing cheaper medicines,
reducing the number of sterile packs used, cutting hospital tests and
asking patients to bring drugs in from home.
Epsom and St Helier Trust in South London has removed every third light
bulb from corridors.
--
Fundies and trolls are cordially invited to
shove a wooden cross up their arses and rotate
at a high rate of speed. I trust you'll
be 'blessed' with a plethora of splinters.
.
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