Cleaning costs at Ayr Hospital top all others
Ayr has emerged as the most costly hospital in the country to keep clean, writes Stephen Houston.
It eclipses every other major medical centre in the land . . . even more than double the pigeon- dropping infested Queen Elizabeth UniversityHospital in Glasgow.
The cost of cleaning Ayr Hospital has been worked out at £ 96 per square metre.
NHS data reveals an astonishing difference on what is spent on cleaning around the country – and even in the county.
Our health board insists the high cost is because cleaning staff at Ayr also carry out other services.
Crosshouse, Ayrshire’s other acute hospital, spends an above average £ 63.
The cheapest is the Vale of Leven in Alexandria at a mere £ 30 a square metre.
Major hospitals bigger than Ayr – Ninewells in Dundee and and Raigmore in Inverness – are just £ 34.
The scandal- hit Queen Elizabeth costs £ 40.
The NHS Information Services Division has revealed the average cost to clean a Scottish hospital is £ 40 a square metre.
Conservative health spokesman Miles Briggs said: “Some hospitals are spending considerably less that half the amount of other facilities of comparable size and speciality.
“We need some kind of parity in what hospitals are prepared to spend on cleaning.
The Arran War Memorial in Lamlash is the only other Ayrshire hospital listed in the data, and costs £ 58.
John Wright, a corporate director at NHS Ayrshire & Arran, revealed cleaners in Ayr also perform other tasks.
Mr Wright said: “We are committed to providing high standards of care and cleanliness in all our healthcare settings.
“A housekeeping service is provided to Ayr University Hospital.
“As well as domestic cleaning, the housekeeping team provides bed- making and mat t ress checks, replenishment of patients’ water and distribution and collection of patient meals.”
And Mr Wright added: “At Crosshouse, domestic staff provide a full cleaning service with housekeeping duties carried out by nurses and nursing assistants.
“This is reflected in the difference in costs associated with each hospital.”