§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that hospital wards are kept clean and tidy at all times and that bed linen is changed frequently and whenever soiled. [124219]
§ Mr. DenhamNational Health Service trust chief executives are responsible for standards of cleanliness in hospitals. All acute trusts have the assistance of an infection control team. The Infection Control Nurses Association and the Association of Domestic Managers have published "Standards for Environmental Cleanliness in Hospitals" which NHS Estates has distributed to NHS trusts.
In wards it is for the qualified nurse responsible for the patient's care to decide when a linen change is necessary, but this should occur whenever it is soiled.
The NHS controls assurance framework published in November 1999 includes a standard on infection control in NHS trusts. A section on cleanliness is being developed.
Both clinical and organisational systems for monitoring and assuring standards of care will be looked at annually as part of NHS performance monitoring arrangements. The standards for hospital cleanliness and infection control will be subject to independent inspections by the Commission for Health Improvement and the Audit Commission.