Workers at a hospital in Northern Ireland have received plenty of praise after they were found to be keeping its wards in great shape, with plenty of emphasis on hygiene found to be in evidence.
The Carrick Times has told how Antrim Area Hospital employees were commended by the Northern Trust's board members for all of their efforts in recent months. These largely revolve around infection control and excellent hygiene, both of which are crucial in the running of a medical institution.
A Regional and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) inspection was carried out recently and it concluded that the hospital is the best performing of all those in the country.
Some 85 hospital wards across 30 institutions in Northern Ireland were studied, with inspectors looking out for infection prevention techniques and examples of good hygiene practices. Of all the examinations carried out, 36 were done so unannounced and covered 71 clinical areas.
A range of hospitals and facilities were subject to the inspections, including community medical centres, acute psychiatric wards, specialist cancer and brain injury units and disability complexes. To come out on top of such an extensive list may illustrate just how hard those at Antrim Area Hospital have worked to achieve excellent standards.
To do so, the use of cleaning products is likely to have featured heavily, as staff are taught how to make best use of the equipment and solutions at their disposal. The regular and comprehensive use of cleaning products can be the key to maintaining clean and tidy wards within hospitals.
Of the six acute hospitals studied by medical experts, five required a follow-up inspection. Antrim Area Hospital was the only that did not, further illustrating its superiority to other institutions in this area.
It could now be used as an example of how to get things right when it comes to hospital hygiene and provide inspiration for bosses of other facilities both in Northern Ireland and further afield.
