Cancer Center At Guy's Hospital

The Cancer Centre at Guy’s Hospital in London, a £160 million development that provides a full range of outpatient services including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, imaging, minor procedures and therapies is also on the forefront of facility cleaning technology. The Cancer Centre’s opening brings the majority of cancer treatment into one building, streamlining care provision and improving the experience for patients from across South East London and beyond. The building is expected to accommodate 700 outpatients at peak times across all service areas.

Cleaning operations at the recently opened Cancer Centre at Guy’s Hospital in London are being managed by CK Group and an in-house team using innovative TASKI® machines and equipment by Diversey. In addition to a fleet of floorcare machines, microfibre and trolley systems the site is the first hospital in the UK to use the TASKI Intellibot robotic scrubber drier.

With its longstanding experience in healthcare, CK Group has provided cleaning services for Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust for many years. Its management team started working with counterparts at the Trust during the construction phase to devise, commission and implement a cleaning regime to meet extremely strict criteria and objectives. In addition to exceptional levels of hygiene, these included meeting the Trust’s wish to embrace innovation and sustainable cleaning.

The cleaning requirement is similar for all floors, but each must have a specific set of cleaning processes, machines and tools. Working to the brief agreed with the in-house team, CK Group partnered with Diversey to recommend a complete suite of TASKI solutions.

The most prominent innovation now implemented at The Cancer Centre is the all-new TASKI Intellibot robotic cleaner. The Intellibot will work on its own with minimal supervision to clean open areas including the lift-lobbies. Its “hands-free cleaning” capability offers significant improvements in productivity by relieving skilled workers from routine floorcare tasks to focus on other duties where they can add value. At the same time, the Intellibot is also a highly visible demonstration that the Trust and its service provider have invested in a ground-breaking innovation. 

To complement the Intellibot, the commissioning team selected four TASKI Swingo 2100 micro scrubber driers. These machines are ideal for busy and confined areas because they have an ultra-compact design and tight turning circle. A unique “active sitting” driving position supports the operator in the ideal posture and reduces fatigue while allowing easy access for maximum productivity.

“This machine is very maneuverable which is ideal for work around furniture and fittings,” says Andy Cassie, sales manager at CK Consumables. “The perched operating position allows operators to get on and off more easily than using a larger machine with a seat.”

Another innovative feature of the micro that appealed to the team was its offset cleaning capability. The mechanism can project to one side to clean right up against a wall or obstruction. Ordinarily, this removes the need for secondary detailed cleaning but in this setting there is another advantage. Many of the walls have protective low-level barriers which could restrict access for most cleaning machines. However, when used in its offset cleaning mode the machine cleans underneath these without hindrance.

“It’s great for the edges and the machine doesn’t need to get too close to the wall so it’s safer,” says Andy Cassie.

Floor cleaning in rooms and smaller areas is completed using compact pedestrian-operated machines including the TASKI swingo 150, 350 and 455 models. These are complemented by TASKI ergodisc 2000 rotary cleaners for general floor care. All of the machines can be used with a wide range of brush and pad types suitable for the various floor types including wood, vinyl, rubber, glass and ceramic that are found throughout the building.

Microfibre is used throughout the Trust’s facilities for general surface cleaning tasks. One of the main advantages of microfibre is that it can be used with water alone or, as in the Cancer Centre at Guy’s, with a greatly reduced number and amount of chemicals while maintaining highly effective infection removal and prevention performance. These sustainability benefits, allied with the ergonomic efficiency of processes, makes microfibre an ideal option for healthcare settings.

Another simple but highly effective use of microfibre on site is for cleaning the large number of internal and low-level windows. Operatives use an extendable or compact mop frame to clean these surfaces quickly and effectively. The same cloths can also be used on stainless steel surfaces such as lift doors.

CK Group employs a strict regime for all microfibre throughout the hospital, ensuring proper rotation of cloths. It also manages the laundry located in St Thomas’ where it deals with 1.5 tons of fabrics from the Trust’s sites every day.

The Cancer Centre opened at the end of September 2016, with services and floors introduced in stages to be fully operational by the end of the year. Although some cleaning will be carried out during the day the majority of routine work will be completed at night to avoid disruption. 

“Our relationship with Diversey has always been good,” says Ian Pether. “Whatever product, chemical or machines we specify is always fit for purpose. We are probably the largest TASKI dealer in the UK at the moment and all the machines are covered by a two-year warranty. If something needs fixing the service from them is always good compared to the industry average. This is very important in a hospital with its unique demands and pressures.”  The relationship evident between CK Group, The Cancer Centre, and Diversey is evident and has resulted in a cleaning approach that works for all involved, most importantly the patients who visit The Cancer Centre.