Donna’s work is all about clean living
The Oban Times is running a series of articles championing the work carried out by Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) in the Oban, Lorn and the Isles locality. Each article features a specific service provided by the HSCP and focuses on the staff who provide that service and the role they play in making a positive difference for the people living in Oban and surrounding areas. This week we look at the work of Donna Barr.
Donna Barr is one of Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership’s domestic supervisors and is based at Lorn and Islands Hospital.
Being a domestic supervisor requires a mixture of skills, including excellent communication skills with an emphasis on customer care, numeracy and literacy, and demonstrating a high level of discretion, including confidentiality. It is also necessary to have the ability to manage and support domestic staff team members.
Domestic supervisors are committed to ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness are being delivered. They are also responsible for ensuring that domestic staff are fully trained to maintain clean and safe environments, and, to achieve this, they use the most up-to-date disinfectant methods approved and equipment.
Staff clean in accordance with the standards and frequency, as
detailed within NHS Scotland national cleaning specifications. This includes following infection control guidelines for the cleaning of isolated and other high risk areas.
Donna is also responsible for ensuring that domestic staff are professionally trained to use associated cleaning equipment and that staff operate machinery within the correct moving and handling procedures, including using safe intensity strengths of cleaning products as specified in their NHS Scotland guidance and policies training. There are also strict health and safety precautions in place to minimise any associated risks to staff or members of the public that must be adhered to at all times too.
Donna said: ‘Cleanliness really does matter and the prevention of infections is the responsibility of every member of staff. I also manage staff rotas and co-ordinate specific domestic responsibilities
while working closely with other health and social care departments and staff.
‘All staff follow strict hygiene protocols and every area must meet high standards of sanitation. Each area is monitored and inspected in order to maintain safe environments in the hospital.
‘I am very proud of my highly valued team members and colleagues, and their consistency in meeting high standards of cleanliness in the hospital.’
The public is also provided with information on any measures which it can take to assist in the prevention and control of infections. An example is hand-washing guides and signs. They are clearly positioned in and around relevant areas within the hospital. The signs prompt everyone to the importance of good hand hygiene. They are also in treatment and consultation rooms and refer to clinical staff hygiene practices too.
Donna said: ‘Hand-washing properly is so important as it removes dirt, viruses and bacteria to help stop spreading germs to other people and objects, which can spread illnesses such as flu at this time of year. Hand-washing infection control and prevention measures are really important and should be followed by everyone.’
Donna has lived in Oban all her life and enjoys being outdoors, gardening and walking her dogs on many of the trails and routes in the area. She also likes to attend restaurants, and events and activities in the local community.
Donna continued: ‘My way of chilling out on my days off is going out for a nice meal and trying different cuisine. As Oban is the Seafood Capital of Scotland, the town really does have fantastic restaurants, including lots of exciting food and creations being available from other local producers.
‘Taking my dogs out is great exercise for me and them, but it is also what I like to do to help me relax and it also helps me socialise, as I am always meeting lots of people when out walking.
‘I really do enjoy my rural lifestyle and feel really lucky being part of such a close-knit community. The people are really something special to me and really do look after each other.’