Rotunda and Holles St hospitals criticised over cleanliness

Levels of cleanliness at two Dublin maternity hospitals have been criticised by the State’s health watchdog.

The National Maternity Hospital had poor cleanliness in its neonatal unit and no designated cleaning staff for patient equipment, according to an inspection report from the Health Information and Quality Authority.

There were issues with waste management but hand-hygiene was good.

A separate report on the Rotunda Hospital expressed significant concern with safe injection practices in its neonatal unit.

It called for improvements in the cleanliness of the unit and of patient equipment in the gynaecology ward.

A risk assessment for Legionella hadn’t been carried out since 2010, and issues were identified with designated cleaning staff.

Hiqa also criticised hand-hygiene at the hospital, where inspectors observed only 68 per cent of washing opportunities being taken.

Temple Street Children’s Hospital was found to be generally clean, though patient areas needed improvement, according to a third report.

It found significant improvements in hand-hygiene since a previous inspection, with 100 per cent of hand washing opportunities taken.

The report on the National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street expressed concern over the cleanliness of the neonatal unit given the vulnerability of the newborns it accommodates.

Inspectors found blood stains on the shelf of a trolley, dust on various items of equipment and used equipment that had not been discarded.

The room was cluttered and it was difficult to access some equipment.

A new neonatal unit is under construction and is due to open next month.

In patient areas, inspectors found unacceptable levels of dust and they noted the ward manager had raised concerns about the standard of cleaning in the unit at internal hospital meetings.

Waste management needed improvement; used blood transfusion bags were stored on bedside tables and a syringe was wrongly disposed of.

Patient areas were generally clean and hand hygiene compliance was 100 per cent.