Conference Day One | Wednesday 9 June 2010

8.00-9.00

9.00-9.35

CONFERENCE WELCOME & OPENING REMARKS

Carina Bale, National Chair, Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals

Nigel Grinstead, Chief Executive, About Health - AHCP 2010 Conference Moderator

Carina and Nigel set the stage for this year’s conference with opening remarks on the critical challenges for cleaning professionals in the NHS and wider UK health and care market and the future role and priorities for AHCP.

The opening session concludes with ‘ These are the Hands’, written in 2008 by Michael Rosen, Children’s Poet Laureate, to commemorate 60 years of the NHS.

9.35-10.45

SESSION 1: CARING FOR OUR PATIENTS

9.35-10.05

Katherine Murphy, Director, The Patients Association

Katherine Murphy joined the Patients Association in 2003 from a background in nursing and health service management. As Director, she has been at the forefront of most of the Association’s recent campaigns, notably managing the highly successful 2005 Clean Hospital and 2006 Clean Hospitals, Safer Healthcare Summits.

During her time with the Patients Association, Katherine has worked with the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA), Healthcare Commission, Cabinet Office, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Royal College of Nursing and Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Decontamination and cleaning in the patient environment - meeting the challenges through a focused approach

Tracey Halladay, Specialist Assessor HCAI Inspection Programme, Care Quality Commission

Tracey Halladay has over 12 years’ experience in the field of infection prevention and control and has held senior infection control nurse posts in two acute NHS trusts. She now works as a specialist assessor with the Care Quality Commission HCAI inspection team to assess NHS organisations against the Health and Social Care Act code of practice for infection prevention and control.Patient confidence and the provision of quality services are important to Tracey, as she is aware that public perception of risk of infection influences choices for health intervention and treatment. Through her current role she has made a direct impact on patient care and the healthcare environment and is passionate about raising the standard of care delivered within all sectors of the NHS.

10.30- 10.45

Question and answer session

10.45- 11.30

Refreshments and exhibition visits

11.30- 11.50

Paul Cryer, Consultant

From 2007 until recently, Paul Cryer was programme manager for the HCAI Technology Innovation Programme at the Department of Health. Launched in January 2008, this three year programme aims to help innovators develop new and novel technology to help combat healthcare acquired infection in the NHS. Strands of the programme include the development of new procurement methodologies to get proven technology more quickly adopted at the NHS front line, active support for industry through closer relations and advice about what kinds of technology is required, product surgeries for innovators to provide advice on what works and post-market support for successful technologies. 

Paul was formerly Director of Operations at Leicestershire Health Authority until 1993, after 22 years in the NHS. For the remainder of the 1990s he worked with two multinational US-based service organisations on acquisition planning and roll-out for business transfers into European health care businesses. In 2000 he returned to the public sector to lead components of The NHS Plan at NHS Estates until 2005 and then moved to be a programme manager for Health Industries Task Force at the Department of Health.

11.50- 12.15

Dr. Stephanie Dancer, Consultant Microbiologist, NHS Lanarkshire

Formerly a consultant microbiologist at the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, Dr. Stephanie Dancer now works in NHS Lanarkshire and is the current editor of the Journal of Hospital Infection. She trained at St Bartholomew's hospital in London followed by postgraduate studies at Guy's, where she gained a thesis on the epidemiology and biochemistry of toxin-producing staphylococci. She has worked in various remote areas of the world, including Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Vietnam and the Canadian High Arctic, where she resuscitated 30,000 year old organisms from glacial ice.

Stephanie spent six years as the Infection Control Officer for Argyll before moving to Health Protection Scotland as their inaugural microbiologist. There, she set up MRSA surveillance for Scotland, evaluated real-time PCR for the rapid identification of MRSA and helped establish the Scottish Microbiology Forum. She has been an active member of several national working groups on antibiotic prescribing and hospital cleaning, and was a formal referee for the Scottish Health Technology Assessment on MRSA screening. At present she balances clinical and editorial duties with various research projects, specifically the role of antibiotics, screening and cleaning in the control of MRSA.

12.15-12.30

Question and answer session

12.30- 2.00

Lunch and exhibition visits

SESSION 2: CARING FOR OUR COLLEAGUES

Frontline cleaning staff and managers interact on a daily basis with many other healthcare professionals to form a circle of care around the patient. But do we really understand the key issues facing colleagues in different healthcare roles and in environments beyond the acute setting? What are the opportunities for us to develop more joined-up thinking at the strategic level, as well as day-to-day service execution?

The afternoon provides an opportunity to hear from and engage with colleagues from across the healthcare spectrum in four focused surgeries. Each session will repeat, allowing delegates to attend two of the four surgeries.

2.00- 2.15

Breakout surgery introductions

Nigel Grinstead, AHCP 2010 Conference Moderator

2.15 – 2.45

GP and primary care surgery

Dr Steve Mann, GP

Dr Steve Mann has been a GP in Stourbridge for 17 years.  He is a partner in a very large practice and is extensively involved in education at both an undergraduate and postgraduate level. The Practice is seen as one of the most innovative practices by his PCT (although on occasion this can be seen as outspoken or even naughty). They strive to continue to use innovation to provide the best care for their patients.

To develop a working relationship with organisations with a ‘can do’ risk averse culture would be exciting. Clinical coding and its accuracy is crucial to effective commissioning, and a productive area to challenge. There are huge issues he believes around the future structure of Primary Care to help that evolution and maintain the good things which may get lost in the fog is essential. It is vital to him as a professional, to develop in new arenas so that we do not stand still, to share ideas and best practices with like-minded individuals to bring about real change.

2.15 – 2.45
2.50 – 3.20

Patient privacy and dignity surgery

Andrea Parsons, Operational Workstream Lead, Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAI) and Cleanliness Division, Department of Health

Andrea Parsons commenced her career in the NHS in 1984 and has undertaken a variety of general management roles incorporating both clinical and non-clinical services and corporate functions. Andrea joined the HCAI & Cleanliness and Delivering Same-Sex Accommodation team in early 2006 and initially worked with organisations supporting them to make improvements to their HCAI agenda. Her current role is the Operational Workstream Lead for the HCAI & Cleanliness Division.

Prior to joining the HCAI & Cleanliness and Delivering Same-Sex Accommodation Team, Andrea worked for the Modernisation Agency in the New Ways of Working team. Before this she was an Associate Director for Emergency Care responsible for the delivery of a range of clinical services. Andrea has an MBA alongside experience of designing and implementing change agendas, and project management skills focusing on working across organisations to review and re-design services with the aim to improve the patient experience.

2.15 – 2.45
2.50 – 3.20

Hillingdon single room surgery

Anne Byrne, Hotel Services Contracts Manager, Sarah McDonagh, Research & Service Improvement Facilitator, & Ray Quinn, Redevelopment Programme Manager

Anne Byrne is responsible for the management of the cleaning catering and linen contractors at The Hillingdon Hospital. She has been in her current role for three years and is a member of the Bevan ward 'working group', involved with the planning for the opening of Bevan ward.

Sarah Mc Donagh’s role was created for one year as a joint venture with the DoH and York University to research patient and staff satisfaction in the unit. Also to research costs, length of stay and infection rates.

Ray Quinn was the lead project Manager for Bevan ward, coordinating all stages of the development and implementation on site.

2.15 – 2.45

2.50 – 3.20

The relationship of Chief Nurse & Facilities Director: partnership or pain?

Andrew Jones, Director of Allied Clinical and Facilities Services and Alfonzo Tramontano, Chief Nurse, Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Andrew Jones is a facilities management professional, having spent over 30 years in the NHS.  He joined Chesterfield as Hotel Services Manager in 1991 and has spent his time at the Royal Hospital managing the estates and facilities services.  He is currently Director of Allied Clinical and Facilities Services, a role that combines responsibility for all of the estates and facilities management functions, as well as the allied healthcare professions and pharmacy at the Trust.

As a board member, Andrew carries lead responsibility for food, cleanliness, health and safety, the estate and procurement. In 2004, he project directed the application which culminated in NHS Foundation Trust status being granted for Chesterfield Royal Hospital from 1 January 2005. Andrew was National Chair of Hefma from 2004-2006 and has been secretary, vice chair and chair of the Trent Hefma branch. He has also been part of the steering group at Sheffield Hallam University Facilities Management Graduate Centre and is executive director patron for the Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals.

Alfonzo Tramontano began his NHS career by volunteering once a week at Walton hospital. He then joined Walton Hospital straight from school as an auxiliary nurse before joining the Royal in 1985 as a pupil nurse. He rose through the ranks of enrolled nurse, staff nurse, charge nurse, deputy ward manager and ward manager before taking a more managerial role in the clinical services side of the medical directorate.

He attained a Post Graduate Certificate in managing Health Services before being asked to cover the Head of Performance role in 2001 that led to a more hands-on role on the business side of the trust. This was complemented by the completion of a Master of Science Degree in Health Policy and Organisation before he took on the challenge of becoming the Royal's first General Manager of Orthopaedics. As General Manager of the Surgical Directorate Alfonzo oversaw the early hitting of the 18-week target, helped introduce the one matron per in-patient ward and continued to work clinical shifts to adopt a 'hands on' approach.

Having kept all of his nursing qualifications up to date Fonz, as his colleagues know him, took over the role of Chief Nurse on April 1st 2009. He continues to adopt that 'hands' on approach to help implement the high standards that will see the nursing team continue to deliver high-class care.

3.20- 4.15

4.15 -4.50

Developing a British standard in hospital cleanliness

A chance to hear more about the initiative from the Department of Health and BSI to develop a new specification for cleanliness in healthcare facilities. 

Dr. Liz Jones, Head of Patient Environment, Department of Health and President, AHCP and Chris Bell, BSI Professional Services

Dr. Liz Jones is Head of Patient Environment at the Department of Health, and is responsible for dealing with issues relating to clinical aspects of estates and facilities management. She has a particular responsibility for policy on hospital food, cleanliness, and privacy and dignity. Liz is also currently President of the Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals.

Liz's background is in elderly care nursing, research and education.  She has held posts in the NHS and the university sector as clinician, senior lecturer and in staff development. Before joining the Department of Health, Liz was Head of Development at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust. She has a degree in nursing and a PhD in nutrition in older inpatients.

Chris Bell joined the official national standards body BSI (British Standards Institution) in 2007, where he is responsible for standards in healthcare quality and innovation. He has a well balanced background of regulatory and standards-based knowledge to disseminate good practice within organizations. Originally from New Zealand, he previously spent 12 years in the banking sector and has worked in health and safety, fire risk and water hygiene for the public and private sectors.

Chris’s involvement in healthcare standards development includes nationally recognized publications such as BSI PAS 800 Dementia Care Mapping, BSI PAS 150 Rehabilitation, BSI PAS 1010 Psychosocial risk management, BSI PAS 900 Wheelchair passport scheme and the BSI PAS 5748 Cleanliness in healthcare facilities – hospitals – specification, as well as various cell therapy and nanotechnology standards. He has worked with many public and private sector organizations developing standards to represent the UK in Europe and internationally through BSI.

4.50-5.00

Question & answer session

5.00-5.40

AHCP Annual General Meeting

7.15-8.00

Pre-dinner drinks reception

8.00-late

President’s Dinner and Award Ceremony

Join your colleagues for the annual AHCP President’s Dinner and Award Ceremony, followed by a chance to unwind with dancing till late.

CLOSE OF DAY ONE