Benenden Hospital Trust: a clean and comfortable hospital
Whether you’re a patient or a visitor, no one wants to worry about hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA. For the many people who pass through Benenden Hospital’s doors, its enviable hygiene record means this is generally far from their minds.
While no hospital can be 100 per cent infection free, Benenden Hospital is in a particularly good position as it doesn’t take emergency or high-risk patients. Modern Matron Dee Farris manages the hospital’s dedicated infection control nurses, who work closely with housekeeping staff. “We look at the environment and how clean it all is,” she explains. “We also carefully monitor hand washing and waste management.”
Benenden Hosiptal hygiene standards
The hospital’s director of infection prevention and control, with the full support of the board, ensures specific procedures are in place to prevent infections spreading and, in line with Department of Health guidelines, patients are screened for the superbug before being admitted. Which adds up to a seven-year record without a single case of MRSA cross infection.
“We monitor hygiene standards regularly and I do a visual check all the time,” says Helen Freeman, who heads up support services and oversees 30 cleaners. Her team works around the clock, and procedure rooms and operating theatres are regularly “deep cleaned”.
Hospital surroundings are also assessed from the patients’ viewpoint, for example by looking at what they can see when lying in bed.
“Some people have brought in bleach and rubber gloves because of what they’ve read in the papers,” adds Dee. “But they’re reassured when they see they could eat off the floor here.
Dee sets very high standards for the infection control team that she manages. “For me, it’s about making the patient’s experience the best it can be,” she explains.
46,500 patients were treated here last year, safe in the knowledge that the hospital has very low infection rates.
This article first appeared in issue 12 of benhealth, the magazine for Benenden Healthcare members.
For further peace of mind...
Don’t forget that with Benenden Healthcare you can request treatment and surgery at the award winning Benenden Hospital. It costs £1.50 per person, per week for Benenden Healthcare Society membership. You can join Benenden Healthcare online.
