UNISON, the UK’s largest health union, is today calling for urgent
action to get dirty ambulances off the road. The union wants
ambulance cleanliness standards to be properly applied and
monitored, because of wide variations in the way Ambulance
Trusts across the UK tackle the problem.
Ambulance crews are deeply worried about the risk that dirty
ambulances pose in spreading MRSA and other healthcare
acquired infections. They point to targets, time and money
pressures as the reasons behind differences in cleaning practices
from Trust to Trust.
A recent investigation by UNISON shows that the London
Ambulance Service is one Trust leading the way in dealing with
the problem, with a