Hygiene at maternity hospital 'deteriorating'

A LIMERICK maternity hospital has been found to have poor standards of hygiene which have “substantially deteriorated” since last year, according to the latest report from the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa).

The Mid-Western Regional Maternity Hospital was examined by Hiqa last month and did not meet the standards to ensure that hygiene services were delivered safely, efficiently and effectively.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) yesterday described the hospital’s hygiene standards as “deeply unsatisfactory”.

In a statement it said it fully accepted the Hiqa report, and would address the deficiencies as a matter of urgency.

During the surprise inspection on November 16th last, Hiqa found that in the majority of areas of the 99-bed hospital, the standard of hygiene was “poor”.

In two areas bedpans were not clean, and medical devices, including a cardiotacograph machine, were “visibly not clean”.

Inappropriate items such as cleaning products were left in patient bathrooms, and grouting in showers had a residue with a “mould-like appearance”.

In kitchens, breast milk was found in fridges used by staff for their own food, while another fridge meant to be used for maternity purposes was used as a staff fridge. Food was observed sitting on top of a waste disposal unit in one kitchen. Kitchen-cleaning equipment was stored with ward cleaning equipment in each of the kitchens visited.

Hazardous waste was not properly treated. Poor segregation of clinical and non-clinical waste was observed in two of the four areas visited, and it was observed that the safety lids on a large number of bins were in the open position.

The assessment team also observed waste and used laundry being transported together.

The majority of the sinks and taps did not comply with the HSE’s health protection surveillance centre’s guidelines 2005. Sinks were not visibly clean in two of the areas visited.

During the visit, not all opportunities to practise hand hygiene were taken by staff, and the hand-washing technique used did not always comply with best practice. A number of cot and bed mattresses were found to be torn.

The HSE said it took the issues raised by Hiqa “extremely seriously”, and had immediately put in place a plan to address them.

“Balancing the demands of service delivery in a very busy environment while ensuring the highest hygiene standards is a priority for the HSE, and we are truly disappointed that these standards are not being met in the Mid-Western Regional Hospital,” John Hennessy, hospital network manager of HSE Mid-West Region, said. “We have initiated an immediate review as to why agreed standards have not been maintained, and are committed to ensuring that the facilities at the hospital meet the highest hygiene standards as soon as possible,” he said.

A new monitoring process had been initiated involving external advice and regular spot checks on the hospital, he said. “We will be working hard towards ensuring a much better result in the hospital in the next Hiqa audit.”