School leaders want enhanced cleaning regime to stay after pandemic

Whilst the COVID-19 lockdown continues to ease, a new survey has shown overwhelming support from schools across the UK for the continued improvement in cleaning measures.
 
The NHS Deep Cleaning and Advisory Service, delivered by NTH Solutions, a subsidiary of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, has surveyed a large number of its education clients across the country, with 93% of school leaders since saying that pupils’ health has stayed the same or improved since reopening in March.

Unsurprisingly, they survey found that, at the time of reopening in March, assessing cleaning regimes and products was a top priority for 97% of schools’ surveyed. 63% said it was their highest priority.
 
But two months on, and even with the numbers of those vaccinated against COVID-19 on the rise, cleaning remains an area of importance for schools. 80% said that enhanced cleaning regimes, such as those recommended by the NHS Deep Cleaning and Advisory Service, should remain in place after the end of the pandemic.
 
Since April 2020, the Service has assisted with the reopening of hundreds of schools across the UK, introducing new hygiene measures and developing England’s first official protocol for domestic cleaning. The service includes regular audits and the training of staff on ‘Cleaning the NHS Way’, accredited by the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH).
 
Significantly, this confidence in enhanced cleaning is not felt by teachers alone. 40% of teachers claim parents expressed  an increased level of concern about the cleaning measures and resources available at their school than before the pandemic.
 
Additionally, 77% of the surveyed schools believe it would be beneficial to teach students themselves about the importance of cleaning, for instance, giving them guidance on proper handwashing techniques.
 
Brendan Tapping, CEO of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust said: “The reassurance provided by the NHS Deep Cleaning and Advisory Service gave me confidence to ensure that our schools are as safe as possible for staff and pupils alike. We have been, and continue to follow the latest Government guidance on the measures necessary to minimise the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in our schools.
 
“The support provided from an NHS service for our cleaning is one more defence in our arsenal against the virus and a way of keeping everyone safe beyond the pandemic. “
 
Whilst cleaning may be at the top of many schools’ priorities, ensuring a high level of hygiene is not always simple. 23% of schools surveyed said they would not have resources to sustain the level of cleaning adopted during the pandemic.

Tony Sullivan, Environmental and Decontamination Manager at the NHS Deep Cleaning and Advisory Service said: “The feedback we’ve had from schools we have worked with has re-emphasised the importance of proper cleaning measures as we remain vigilant against new strains of COVID-19. Meanwhile the concerns from headteachers about access to cleaning resources emphasises the importance of making good cleaning mainstream and accessible.

“Schools are not only under pressure to maintain a clean environment for their students, but also to have access to approved cleaning materials and processes with limited resources. In light of this, we are ensuring our services to schools and other frontline services are subsidised to allow them access to appropriate resources and training. We are aiming not just to introduce a higher standard of cleaning, but to make that standard sustainable and accessible to all to ensure a healthier and safer future.”

Rebecca Denton-Smith, Lead Nurse for Infection Prevention and Control for North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust added: “It is encouraging to see that schools are keen to maintain enhanced levels of cleaning and hygiene after the pandemic. After all, prevention is better than cure and schools’ responses following the pandemic will help prepare for other eventualities similar to Covid-19 should they occur in the future.
 
“What’s more, it is interesting to see a general improvement in pupils’ health at the schools surveyed, which may be due to enhanced cleaning measures and hand hygiene helping reduce outbreaks of infections such as norovirus and influenza.”