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Filthy toilet floor and doors

Posted By Corky40

"Filthy toilet floor and doors"

About: East Surrey Hospital

(as the patient),

In May 2012 I had to attend my pre-op assessment in Redhill. Living an hour away, I set off early to avoid a problem with heavy traffic, so I arrived early for my appointment.

I had a leisurely cuppa in the canteen, and popped to the loo on my way to the ward. Quite frankly I was disgusted by the state of the facilities. There was dried blood or faeces smeared on the back of the cubicle door, and the floor behind where the door would be when open was filthy.

Clearly nobody had trained the cleaning staff to close the door and clean behind it. Hotel staff are trained to sit on the loo and look at what the guest will see when seated... such a pity we can't expect that standard of cleanliness in a hospital.

I am due to attend for an operation next week, and now hear that there is norovirus through various wards. I am not surprised.

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Responses

Response from Eloise Clarke, Communications Manager, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 11 years ago
Eloise Clarke
Communications Manager,
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

Submitted on 21/01/2013 at 18:44
Published on Care Opinion at 23:05

Dear 'Corky40'

I am really sorry to hear the public toilet you used had been left in a bad state. The public toilets in the hospital are cleaned several times throughout the day and receive regular deep cleans – we take the cleanliness of our public areas very seriously. If you do come across a problem between cleans, there is a contact number to report the problem.

I hope when you revisited us the problem had been resolved. Thank you very much for bringing this to our attention.

Many thanks

Eloise Clarke

Communications Manager

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Response from Ian Mackenzie, Director of Information and Facilities, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 11 years ago
Ian Mackenzie
Director of Information and Facilities,
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

I am responsible for everything to do with facilities, estates and IT. This includes our £50m building programme, food, cleaning, estates, porters, telephones, IT, transport, car parks and anything similar. Also leading our new Patient Experience Programme.

Submitted on 07/02/2013 at 11:43
Published on Care Opinion at 11:49

picture of Ian Mackenzie

Dear Corky40

Please accept my apologies that as the Director responsible for cleaning, amongst other things, you found things were not at an acceptable level when you came to East Surrey Hospital in May 2012. I'm also sorry that I haven't responded sooner.

All cleaning staff are trained in the manner you describe and all staff have a responsibility to ensure that our facilities are as clean as possible, so what you describe is clearly not good enough. In addition to the cleaners themselves the cleaning supervisors and the Head of Facilities will independently check areas to ensure that they are clean. I also aim to walk the entire the hospital at least once a day and look in most of the toilets and other public areas so that I personally am assured that they are as we would wish to find them ourselves.

I hope this reassures you that we take this matter very seriously and if you would wish to discuss further please either call me on 01737 231988 or e-mail ian.mackenzie@sash.nhs.uk

Regards

Ian

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