Kelsey Hargreaves, technical manager at BICSc ,explores the urgent need to professionalise cleaning in healthcare, highlighting the unsung heroes who protect patients daily and calling for the respect and recognition they deserve

I’ve walked and cleaned the halls of hospitals at all hours – during the 9am rush when patients and visitors flood in, and in the quiet hours of the night when only the beeping monitors remind you that life is still going on around you. Before I worked in hospitals, I too was guilty of not realising the impact that all tenets of a healthcare environment have on the safety of patients. However, I can certainly tell you, pre-pandemic, during the pandemic and post-pandemic, there are so many workers involved in a hospital that do not get the recognition that they deserve. The guys that fix the medical machines, the heroes that take patients from their beds to their scans, the receptionists that console, direct, and help in the same cheery manner every day. But one group of people, wrongly disrespected more than any other foundation of a healthcare establishment, “the cleaners”, are so much more central to our safety than we might give them credit for.     

For too long, the role of cleaning in healthcare has been underestimated, undervalued, and overlooked. In 2020, cleaning had its brief moment of praise where people began to recognise their amazing operatives, but post-pandemic, we seem to have forgotten how to say thank you to these heroes. It’s scary really, that a worldwide pandemic has to happen for us to realise the value of a clean environment, when the reality is, outbreaks happen in healthcare environments, schools, shops and businesses every day, yet we don’t seem to understand or in fact respect the people that have the power to prevent this most. So I don’t deviate too much from healthcare cleaning, let’s talk about the topical battle the world is dealing with: healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). HAIs are often referred to as hospital-acquired infections, and that’s exactly what they are, infections that could have been transferred through medical or surgical treatment or from being in contact within a healthcare environment. We place a lot of importance on lifesaving medical staff that treat us properly and ensure we don’t come into contact with contaminated medical equipment and devices, yet we disrespect the people and processes responsible for ensuring we are treated in a non-contaminated healthcare environment. We need to start seeing cleaning for what it really is – a crucial part of the patient care cycle, as vital as any medical treatment. The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has called for healthcare cleaning to be treated with the professional respect it deserves, and it’s time we all listened. 

Cleaning as a frontline defence against HAIs 

HAIs affect thousands of patients each year, prolonging hospital stays, increasing costs, and, in the worst cases, costing lives. According to Public Health England, around 300,000 patients in the UK acquire an HAI every year, with conditions such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and surgical site infections being the most common. The simple act of cleaning – when done effectively and professionally – is one of the most powerful tools we have to stop these infections in their tracks.    When we think about preventing infection, we often picture doctors prescribing antibiotics, surgeons using sterile techniques, and nurses administering vaccinations. But what about the person disinfecting a patient’s bedside table? Or the operative ensuring that a high-touch surface like a door handle is free from harmful pathogens? Is their work not critical in breaking the chain of infection?

The need for professionalism in healthcare cleaning 

The RSPH has highlighted the urgent need to professionalise healthcare cleaning. This means moving away from the outdated notion that it’s an unskilled task and recognising it as a technical role that requires knowledge, training, and expertise.    

For years, I have worked alongside dedicated cleaning teams in hospitals. I’ve seen firsthand how a lack of training can lead to critical mistakes – using the same mop head in multiple rooms, inadvertently spreading infection rather than containing it. This wasn’t due to negligence but rather a lack of understanding of cross-contamination risks. I have also seen firsthand how training operatives, nurses and doctors in the science behind cleaning, through the use of the products and equipment they use, the pattern they clean and the legislation and standard they need to follow can prevent cross-contamination and thus outbreaks. We educate medical staff, so why wouldn’t we educate our cleaning teams? It is not just about ‘making the floors shine’, it’s about the impact their work has on the safety of patients.

A warped perception: why cleaning is seen as “less than” 

One of the biggest barriers to professionalising healthcare cleaning is the ingrained belief that it is somehow less important than medical treatment. This perception is not only unfair – it’s dangerous.

Imagine if we treated infection control nurses with the same disregard that we often show to cleaning operatives. It would seem absurd, right? Yet, both roles are essential in stopping infections from spreading. The idea that cleaning is menial or secondary is a deeply flawed mindset that puts patients and the public at risk.

In a world where antibiotic resistance is a growing threat, prevention is more critical than ever. We can’t afford to downplay the role of cleaning when it’s one of the most effective ways to stop infections before they even begin. Every surface cleaned properly is a potential infection prevented. Every contaminated area left unchecked is a risk waiting to happen.  

The lifesaving cycle of healthcare cleaning 

Healthcare is often described as a cycle – assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. But there’s a vital step missing from that cycle: environmental hygiene. If a hospital isn’t properly cleaned, all the treatments in the world can be undone by a single contaminated surface.    

Consider a patient recovering from surgery. They receive the best care – expert surgeons, cutting-edge treatments, and a dedicated nursing team. But if their environment isn’t clean, they’re at risk of post-operative infections that could undo all that hard work. A missed spot on a bed rail, an improperly sanitised medical instrument, or a contaminated bathroom can be the difference between a smooth recovery and a prolonged hospital stay. 

Elevating the status of healthcare cleaning 

So, what needs to change? First and foremost, healthcare cleaning must be recognised as a professional discipline. This means mandatory training, national standards, and better career progression for those in the field.    

Organisations like us at BICSc have already set the groundwork with structured training programs, but adoption across all healthcare settings is still inconsistent. Some hospitals prioritise professional cleaning, while others see it as an area where budgets can be cut. This inconsistency puts lives at risk.     

We also need to challenge outdated attitudes towards cleaning staff. They are not “just cleaners” – they are infection control specialists, frontline defenders against HAIs, and an integral part of the healthcare team. Their contributions should be acknowledged, their training should be funded, and their work should be valued just as much as any medical procedure. 

A call to action 

It’s time for a cultural shift in how we view cleaning, not just cleaning in healthcare. The RSPH’s call to professionalise cleaning is not just about fairness; it’s about public health and safety. We need investment in training, recognition of cleaning as a critical, and a widespread understanding that a well-cleaned environment is a safer environment.    

Next time you walk through a hospital, take a moment to notice the people making sure it stays clean. They are not just mopping floors or wiping surfaces; they are actively preventing infections, protecting the public, and playing a crucial role in the lifesaving cycle of healthcare.    

It’s time we gave all cleaning operatives the respect – and the professional status – they deserve. Because to deem their work as anything less than lifesaving is not just unfair.  It’s completely warped.