Dedicated housekeeping staff's never

Dedicated housekeeping staff's never FOR most people, cleaning their own house is difficult enough. And, when bugs and infections do raise their ugly heads, the team has to use all its expertise to tackle the problem. Different chemicals and products have to be used in different departments depending on the state of the people in the beds, while colour coded mops and equipment assist in preventing cross contamination. A storeman makes sure nowhere ever runs out and, as Mrs Gorringe revealed, the trust's shopping list is enough to make even the most ardent home cleaner wince. "Last year we used 2. Mrs Gorringe says her staff get to know patients over time and go the extra mile to make their stay in hospital more bearable. That can be fetching them a newspaper, ensuring they are getting food they like or even just stopping for a chat. Marie, it would appear, is a prime example of that hands on approach. "I just love to be around people," she said. "We have people chasing us to get in somewhere and get the beds clean and back in use and at times it can be a juggling act. "It is important to free up the beds again as quickly as possible but it is not unknown for us to have 12 beds in different areas on the hospital in need of attention at any one time. "Last night, for example, we had 13 rooms to deal with between 5pm and 8pm. But surely, if you spend all day cleaning and running round after others, people like Marie must dread going home and doing the chores? "I am lucky," she chuckles, with a laugh I suspect is as regular feature on the ward. "I have a lovely husband who helps a lot. "It really is quite a big operation. "They will come at any time - usually the most inappropriate moment. Bubbly, filled with smiles and friendly, she is popular with patients and staff alike. "The team isn't sitting there waiting for jobs to do, they are busy carrying out a deep clean programme which is ongoing - but it is very important we have a team which can tackle things quickly, particularly in a place like a hospital. It is a mammoth task and one, with infection control and hospital bugs regularly hitting the headlines, which comes with its own pressure. Jane Gorringe, the trust facilities manager, says her department is well placed to meet the demands. As Mrs Gorringe explained, "If something goes wrong or a patient area needs cleaning they are sent right away. And, much like painting the Forth Bridge or the Eiffel Tower, it is a never ending job. Almost as soon as a ward is cleaned or a theatre washed down, its in need of doing again. That is equivalent to roughly eight and a 50 percent Wembley football pitches. "I have a great team," she said, "and one I am really proud of. "I think they appreciate having someone to chat to who isn't trying to do anything to them, just giving them a nice cup of tea and a bit of time. "I love my job. ". In fact, it goes deeper than that. "They work very hard to be sure everything is as it should be and without them the hospital simply would not work. That work is as varied as the treatments available at the DGH. Dedicated housekeeping staff's never Trade News selected by Local Linkup on 05/06/2012