The Institute of Occupational Medicine highlights the integral role that hospital ventilation plays in maintaining high standards of patient care, and discusses some of the key steps to take to ensure that such systems are efficiently maintained.
With a number of NHS Trusts hitting the headlines for being placed in ‘special measures’, and the ongoing attention of regulators such as the Care Quality Commission on all aspects of the quality of the care environment, estates and facilities managers’ efforts to keep their buildings ‘safe, clean, and fit-for-purpose’ are in the spotlight to an unprecedented degree. Here, Jerry Slann, director of Occupational Hygiene at the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), explains how patient and staff safety could be compromised by a lack of knowledge and investment in hospital estate management, and highlights the integral role that hospital ventilation plays in maintaining high standards of care.
In recent years, public trust in hospital care has been severely shaken, and it is easy to understand why. Headline news stories highlighting often serious failings are becoming increasingly frequent, and point to seemingly widening cracks in a system that is reportedly already under strain. The pressure to meet targets and achieve certain standards is felt by NHS Trusts of all shapes and sizes, and the damage caused by failing to comply can have far-reaching consequences.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has a responsibility to ensure that minimum standards are met, and the power to place an NHS Trust or Foundation Trust in ‘special measures’ if the findings from inspections are inadequate, or if hospitals fail to comply. Failings can be highlighted from a wide range of areas, including a high
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