Good comments Ged
I think your approach is spot on
There has been a lot of "finger pointing" and "mud slinging" so far on this topic but your viewpoints are the way to go, inmy opinion.
Everybody is busy, everybody is under pressure to perform all the tasks required of them.
I know the issue is important but due to lack of finance, staff, space, time etc the argument tends to end up, as it has here, as a "pass the buck" exercise.
When we stand back and take stock, the issues that you have raised Ged stand out.
We need to accept that cleaning of equipment is
vital and that the control measures needed to be put in place can't be swept under the carpet due to a lack of finance, staff, training, space etc.
I think management has to accept that it is a
core issue and should be handled accordingly.
In my experience this has not been the case. It has been left to nursing staff, ward/department managers, EBME and teams like Control of Infection to sort out by themselves.
With the best will in the world we will not get passed what we have seen here, people having different solutions to how the problem should be solved.
Issues raised here by numerous people to do with dedicated cleaners, staff training, staff responsibility, EBME involvment etc etc are all relevant.
They are however, fragmented.
I know I've been emotive on this subject, it's because I see it as a crucial issue.
I would love to be able to say to my Trust, "Here is what we should be doing and this is what it is going to take/cost"
Unfortunately our system, whilst not the worst I've ever seen, is not perfect. It has evolved rather than been designed.
It would take a radical re-think to change to something we could be rightly proud of.
It would also take time, effort and resource and that is the problem.