Cleaners go to ward over hospital hygiene
Protest over new contract
CLEANERS at a scandal-hit hospital claim its hygiene standards have slipped under a new contractor.
Staff at the North Middlesex staged a lunchtime protest after new deal with a private firm sparked concerns.
One cleaner who has worked there for nine years said: “It breaks my heart. I don’t feel we can clean wards properly. It never used to be like this under the old company. We were treated fairly and got the equipment we need to do the job.”
The Sunday People understands that since the hospital in Edmonton, North London, changed its cleaning firm in June, ten porter’s jobs have been axed.
Michael Dooley of union GMB said: “Most cleaners and porters were not in a union as they had no problems with the last contractor. Now we’ve nearly 80 members.”
A hospital spokesman said: “Our contractor is consulting with staff about possible improvements to portering and cleaning.”
Meanwhile, the family of a war hero who died after being crushed by falling medical equipment at the hospital claim a probe that was promised never happened. Alice Morfett, 92, who worked on topsecret information in the Second World War, suffered a leg injury.
But the doctor’s photos have vanished and the hospital is claiming she fell getting out of bed.
The People has run an awardwinning campaign to improve standards at North Middlesex Hospital – and revealed how A&E patients were once told to go home unless they were dying.