• Main Website
  • Washroom Services
  • Healthcare Waste
  • Floor Mats
  • Vending Services
  • Initial Shop
Initial UK – Blog
  • Main Website
  • Washroom Services
  • Healthcare Waste
  • Floor Mats
  • Vending Services
  • Initial Shop
Home  /  Healthcare Waste  /  Latest RCN guidelines – a warning for poor waste disposal
31 May 2016

Latest RCN guidelines – a warning for poor waste disposal

Written by admin
Healthcare Waste Leave a Comment

The standards of healthcare waste disposal vary from hospital to hospital, general practitioner to general practitioner. Some are given gleaming badges of hygiene-friendly certification from boards of officials, while others are exposed as filth merchants by the local press.

But, according to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), the problem isn’t as black and white as all that. It’s a problem across the board – and it’s putting patients at risk.

The RCN has put out a new series of guidelines, entitled The Management of Waste Arising from Health, Social and Personal Care, which claims that training regarding the disposal of all waste products should be strengthened with clear expectations about the standard of hygiene.

The report also argues that every medical professional should be taught how to adequately segregate waste to make disposal more eco-friendly, as well as how to adhere to the codes of practice in every hospital.

Every nurse’s responsibility

RCN nursing adviser for infection control Rose Gallagher said, “Safe management of health care waste is the responsibility of all staff in health settings. This guidance is designed to support health care workers, and particularly nursing staff, in managing the waste generated through their roles.

“There is evidence to suggest that a large quantity of health care waste is classified as infectious when it doesn’t actually present a risk of infection. It should instead be classed as offensive waste, meaning it is non-hazardous. This improvement in classification could lead to cost savings and a reduction in carbon emissions.

“All healthcare organisations should use this new guidance and provide adequate support to their staff in dealing with waste management issues.”

The new guidelines should act as a wake-up call for any hospital officials – it’s time to increase the quality of your waste disposal.

 Previous Article Poor standards: a look at US hospital hygiene
Next Article   Job cuts in the NHS: will they impact the West Midlands?

Related Posts

  • Hepatitis B spotlight on virus

    A spotlight on Hepatitis B

    June 30, 2022
  • Dental infection control carried out by dentist with disinfection products

    Dental infection control – bad habits die hard

    June 24, 2022
  • Ten elephants weigh around 80 tonnes, the amount of new plastic use saved by Initial Medical's new clinical waste bags

    Clinical Waste Bags – Sustainable Range!

    June 15, 2022
admin

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Contact Us

WASHROOM HYGIENE
0800 313 4972

HEALTHCARE WASTE
0800 030 4005

Checking...

Ouch! There was a server error.
Retry »

Sending message...

Quick Form

Fill in the form below and we will be in touch soon


Categories

  • Air Care
  • Cubicle hygiene
  • Floor Mats
  • Hand Hygiene
  • Healthcare Waste
  • Hospital Hygiene
  • Period DIgnity
  • Uncategorized
  • Vending Services
  • Washroom Services

© 2021 Rentokil Initial plc and subject to the conditions in the legal statement.

  • Sanitary Waste
  • Floor Mats
  • Hand Dryers
  • Aircare
  • Hand Hygiene & Care
  • Clinical Waste
  • Sharps Disposal
  • Dental Waste
  • Manage cookies
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • RI Supplier Code
  • Gender Pay Report
  • Modern Slavery Statement
myInitial
myLearning
eBilling
TRUSTPILOT