Housekeepers improve patient care

Following a successful pilot last year Gateshead's Queen Elizabeth Hospital has employed 18 housekeepers in medical and surgical wards across the hospital including the new 114 bed Jubilee Wing.

More and more hospitals across the region are employing teams of housekeepers to improve standards of care.

Working closely with ward sisters and modern matrons, their jobs involves a wide range of housekeeping duties from cleaning up spillages and ensuring faulty equipment is repaired to helping patients with their meal choices and ordering ward supplies.

"We're definitely a jack of all trades," says Caroline Murray, a housekeeper on Ward 17, which cares for patients with blood and stomach complaints. "One minute I might be welcoming a new patient or arranging flowers for them and the next getting maintenance to come and fix a tap."

Anne Urwin, who previously worked as a member of the domestic team at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and is now a housekeeper on Ward 4, adds: "Nursing staff need to devote all their time attending to patients' medical needs so our role is to help out with other aspects of treatment and make sure that their stay is as comfortable as possible."

Hospital bosses say the housekeepers have made a big impact in a short time.

Apart from improving cleanliness they have been heavily involved in a new initiative called 'protected mealtimes' which aims to allow patients to enjoy meals without interruption.

This initiative lead to clilnical nurse specialist Tracey Cowper making it to the final of this year's Nursing Times Award in the nutrition category. "With the housekeepers we have an extra pair of eyes and ears on the ward and can be more attentive to patients' needs," said Tracey.