Operation Clean Sweep
A collaboration of hospital departments has been literally sweeping through NHS Sites. Operation Clean Sweep is an ongoing initiative designed to reduce clutter in clinical areas and to improve the environment for staff and patients. The concept known in industry as the Six Sigma/Lean Concept (sorting, simplifying, systemic cleaning, standardizing and sustaining) makes a workspace more efficient and has been producing exemplary results in clinical areas. This initiative was identified by the NHS's Environmental Accreditation Team as a quality improvement project, starting in 2007.
On an ongoing basis, clinical areas are targeted for the three-day sweep, during which Clinical Unit Managers and Staff, Support Service Managers and Staff from Maintenance, Hospitality/Housekeeping, Food Services, Stores/Purchasing, Biomedical Engineering, Central Sterilization and Supply, Linen Services, Infection Control and Communications work with the Quality Improvement Facilitator to identify storage and clutter issues. Old equipment is assessed and repaired or removed from the unit, new efficient storage cabinets and shelves are brought in and spaces are redesigned to provide easy access to items for staff and to improve client confidentiality.
Before and after Operation Cleansweep
Both a safety and quality initiative, Operation Clean Sweep has ongoing follow-up built into the program, so that the efficiencies gained can continue into the future. A by-product of the initiative is reducing the stockpiling of supplies in each unit, which could be used more efficiently on another unit. It is estimated that throughout 2007, almost $50,000 in unused supplies were identified and returned to central Stores, for distribution to units as needed.