It is true that private hospitals offer the highest standards of hygiene. Though the two have different management structures and objectives, the public hospitals have lagged behind in many countries in the maintenance of cleanliness. A clean environment is quite important in reducing hospital acquired infections. With the increase in the number of drug resistant microorganisms it is important for both public and private hospitals in Northern Ireland to maintain high standards of cleanliness so as to limit the spread of infections caused by these pathogens. There are many factors that have made the private hospitals more keen on the levels of hygiene in their facilities.This include;

1. The need to attract more clients

Private hospitals are businesses and like any business they have to employ ways and means of attracting more clients. Cleanliness is one of the aspects that the hospitals used to attract more clients. Any patient will want to be treated in a hospital that has the highest standards of cleanliness. Private hospitals are an investment and therefore one has to invest in a quality facility so as to attract many clients. If a patient finds out that the facility they are visiting has poor hygiene they may doubt if they will get quality services in that facility. On the other hand low standards of hygiene experienced in most public hospitals are a matter of negligence on the part of the part of the management of these facilities.The facilities are also renovated and maintained in good shape in the private hospitals because this is a business. Private hospitals must offer quality services and a welcoming environment if they want to remain competitive.

2. Embracing modern technology

Modern technology can be helpful in maintaining of high standards of hygiene.The private hospitals are the first to embrace modern technology. This is facilitated by the ease of decision making witnessed in the private hospitals compared to their counterparts in the public hospitals. Modern technology is important for any hospital that will need to maintain a clean environment especially in special room/wards like the theater and the I.C.U. These wards require special equipment to ensure that hygiene is maintained. The patients in these wards are also susceptible to infections due to their health conditions. Modern equipment are required to sterilize equipment that are used in the theater.

3. Good management

You can agree with me that private hospitals are better managed compared to most public hospitals. Also as highlighted earlier the process of decision making is also easier. There is a higher sense of responsibility in private hospitals.

4. Adequate facilities

The private hospitals have adequate facilities, enough to serve their clients.This is not true in most public hospitals. It is not surprising to find patients who require isolation in the same wards/ rooms with normal patients. Most private hospitals have enough rooms/wards to ensure that proper care is given to their clients. Patients who have undergone surgery need to be isolated from the rest of the patients, this is because they are quite susceptible to infections due to the open wounds they have and also their lowered immunity. The same applies to those who are suffering from highly contagious infections or those suffering from infections caused by drug resistant strains of microorganisms like those suffering from extremely multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.

5. Adequate number of staff

In order to maintain cleanliness there, must be enough people to do the work. Because this is a business and they must be competitive for them to attract more clients, these hospitals have to employ enough number of staff who are involved in cleaning the hospitals. On the there hand the public hospitals are constantly faced with staff shortage especially in the developing countries.

6. Adequate hospital supplies

Due to budgetary constrains most public hospitals do not have enough supplies. Gloves, disinfectants, gowns and other materials and equipment are required to facilitate the work of cleaning these facilities. On the other hand because of the fact that private hospitals have to be competitive they have to set enough money for the purchase of these items. The procurement process in the private hospitals is also simpler compared to the public hospitals. Thus because of this it is easier for the private hospitals to maintain high standards of cleanliness.