Written question asked by Andrew Dismore (Labour) on Thursday, 13 February 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 26 February 2003. It was answered by Lord Hutton of Furness (Labour) on Wednesday, 26 February 2003 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to improve the cleaning services at Barnet Hospital; and if he will make a statement. - Includes ref to 'National Standards of Cleaning for the NHS'.

Answer: Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to improve the cleaning services at Barnet Hospital; and if he will make a statement. [98949] Mr. Hutton: Improving the cleanliness of hospitals is the responsibility of local national health service trusts. The "National Standards of Cleaning for the NHS" were launched by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in April 2001. All hospitals are required to ensure that their cleaning services meet these standards. In addition hospitals are inspected annually by patient environment action teams (PEATs) who assess environmental standards across a range of factors including cleanliness. The Commission for Health Improvement also considers hospital cleanliness as part of Clinical Governance reviews. The last PEAT assessment of Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust judged the environmental standards, including cleanliness, as acceptable.

Secondary information