BSI, the Department of Health and the National Patient Safety Agency have developed a new specification for cleanliness in healthcare facilities.

Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 5748 provides a framework for the planning, application and measurement of cleanliness in hospitals.

In particular, PAS 5748 specifies requirements for:

• Governance of cleanliness services


• Assessing the risk of a lack of cleanliness both for infection and damage to patient, public or staff confidence


• Providing cleaning tasks


• Measuring cleanliness on the basis of visual inspection – including setting agreed performance levels


• Taking corrective action


• Conducting performance analysis and implementing improvement actions


• Providing a continuous service improvement plan


• Reporting cleanliness outcomes.

These are now available on the BSI website - you have to register on the site to see them (free to NHS members)

http://shop.bsigroup.com/en/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030208877