Beacon Hospital in Sandyford has secured its third consecutive Gold Award for its housekeeping provision from the nationally-recognised Continuous Advancement Programme (CAP). This hat-trick puts the establishment among the very few to reach such an achievement.

Members of the CAP programme share a passion for raising the standards of housekeeping and catering in healthcare organisations across Ireland and the UK. Along with reports of performance detailed from a rigorous inspection regime, the CAP programme provides valuable roadmaps for quality and cost efficiency improvements.

No one can deny that housekeeping is a critical service within the hospital and care environment. And all would agree that effective housekeeping provision is essential to patient and staff wellbeing. Beacon Hospital outsources its housekeeping requirements to Neylons, a proven Facilities Management organisation in Ireland that does have a track record of CAP Gold awards for its services.

In his report at Beacon Hospital, Chief CAP Assessor Ian Jackson noted the appointment of a new manager since the CAP inspection in 2018, while commending the organisation for its strong focus on patient care. Among other points highlighted was the good engagement of the housekeeping team with the CAP assessment process, which Jackson sees as an indicator of assurance and confidence. “There’s a large area to clean, featuring a mix of private medical procedure rooms and high-traffic general environments, yet all parties clearly recognise the need for a strong working relationship between the clinical team, the maintenance department and the caterers and housekeepers,” says Jackson.

He also commented on the management structure, saying: “It always proves to be an interesting assessment process when a change of manager occurs between our annual visits. To maintain the Gold level status is a credit to the entire team – and to Anabella, the new Head of Housekeeping.”

Michael Cullen, Hospital CEO, adds: “We are absolutely delighted for the housekeeping team. They provide such an important link with the clinical team in ensuring our patients’ wellbeing. My congratulations to all involved.”