Health Department
Directorate of Planning & Performance Management

Dear Colleague

AUDIT SCOTLAND REPORT - "A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH?"

I am writing to draw your attention to the priority given in the Scottish Health Plan, "Our National Health: a plan for action, a plan for change" to achieving the highest possible standards of cleanliness in health care premises. The plan included the following statement:

"We will expect every NHS Trust to have acted on the recommendation of the Audit Scotland Report "A Clean Bill of Health?" by June 2001."

As you will know, the Audit Scotland report was published in April 2000 following detailed data collection and review work in a range of Primary Care and Acute Trusts in Scotland. An advance copy of the report was sent to each Trust by Audit Scotland on 31 March 2000. The Report summarised the findings flowing from the investigative work undertaken at Trust level and made a number of recommendations for action by Trusts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of hospital domestic services.

Action

In the light of the undertaking made in the Scottish Health Plan, I would be grateful if you would ensure that your Trust will meet the Report's recommendations by June of this year. This will ensure that your Trust is well placed to respond to Audit Scotland's follow-up review of domestic services. I understand this is likely to be carried out later this year. The review will form the basis of a report to the Parliament's Audit Committee on the extent of improvements in Trust performance since the original investigative work was undertaken, and may identify Trusts where performance is not considered to be adequate.

The full text of the report is available at http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/publications/pdf/00h01ag.pdf, and a copy of the recommendations are annexed (hardcopy only) for your convenience.

4th April 2001

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I will write to you again in June, seeking confirmation that the necessary actions to implement the recommendations of "A Clean Bill of Health?" have been taken.

Yours sincerely

GERRY MARR
Director of Planning and Performance Management