DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release (2007/0312) issued by The Government News Network on 1
November 2007
Corrected version
During a visit to the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospitals
Trust today, Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced that a
preferred bidder has been appointed to build the new £228 million
hospital. Construction of the hospital in Pembury will now begin
early in the New Year, subject to final approvals.
The new redevelopment will house 512 en suite bedrooms and be the
first 100% single room facility in England enabling much better
isolation of patients with infections. It is expected to be
completed by 2010.
Mr Johnson also announced that an additional £350,000 would be
made available to the Trust to carry out a deep clean of its hospitals.
Alan Johnson said:
"The new hospital at Pembury is a hugely significant
development for the people of Kent and I am pleased to announce
that the scheme will commence in the New Year. With a new
leadership team in place the Trust can now look to the future.
"Since the C. difficile outbreak in 2005 the Trust has taken
significant steps to bring down the incidence of infections and to
make sure they have proper processes in place for managing any
future outbreaks. It is vital that standards continue to improve
at all three hospitals."
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals have recently undergone a
programme of improvement, including systematic cleaning of
specific wards. The Trust received £300,000 in January and a
further £420,000 in September 2007 to help reduce healthcare
acquired infections.
The additional funding announced today will allow the Trust to
accelerate its cleaning plans and develop an enhanced cleaning
programme for all the hospitals. It will continue the positive
progress the Trust has made following the outbreak of 2005 which
includes a rigid policy for the use of antibiotics and measures to
ensure that all patients with the infection are treated in isolation.
Alan Johnson added:
"To help staff continue to improve hygiene, Maidstone and
Tunbridge Wells will be one of the first Trusts to receive funding
under the deep clean programme I announced last month. This is
part of a wider range of measures that all Trusts need to take to
tackle healthcare acquired infections and ensure patient safety"
Latest figures published today show that C. difficile rates in
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust have fallen since the outbreak
in 2005 and are now just above the national average.
Notes to editors
1. The recent Healthcare Commission report made clear that a poor
environment played a part in the problems at Maidstone and
Tunbridge Wells Trust. They sighted the many dormitory style wards
and lack of single rooms which could be used for isolating
patients with infections.
2. The NHS today received guidance on what a deep clean might
entail. The details of the deep clean will be finalised locally.
SHA estates and facilities advisors can help PCTs and SHAs to
commission deep cleans that meet the needs of the site and deliver
tangible outcomes by year-end.
A deep clean could include:
Dismantling/cleaning beds/bedrails
Cleaning equipment e.g.
commodes
Cleaning ductwork
Steam cleaning
Ultrasonic
cleaning
Hydrogen peroxide fogging
Restoration of
surfaces
Wall-washing
High cleaning
Cleaning behind
radiators, fitments
Floor scrubbing
Curtain
changing
Window washing
Cleaning soft
furnishings
De-cluttering
Cleaning cupboards/storage
space
Cleaning kitchens/food prep areas
Cleaning
trolleys/trolley wheels
Cleaning entrances/common
areas
Doors and door furniture
Light
fittings
Telephones/IT equipment
In some instances it may be more appropriate to replace items
that cannot be satisfactorily cleaned, or to replace damaged
finishes to make subsequent cleaning easier. Some Trusts may wish
to use the fund to invest in equipment in this context, in
addition to the cleaning of existing equipment where it need not
be replaced.
The money can be spent in any hospital setting but priority
should be given to areas where an impact on healthcare associated
infections or on patient and public confidence can be clearly
demonstrated. This is revenue funding which, under normal finance
rules, can include non-capitalised equipment purchases.
The funding provided for the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust
deep clean will include the purchase of decontamination equipment
such as the ultrasound cleaning of wheelchairs and commodes.
3. A preferred bidder Equion, made up of John Laing, Laing
O'Rourke and Interserve, has been appointed for a new £228
million hospital in Pembury. The trust and the preferred bidder
will now work together to develop an approvable scheme which would
begin construction early in the new year.
[ENDS]