Hospital bosses got down to some hard graft to back a national clean wards campaign.

Putting his back into it - Peter Murphy, chief executive of Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust, with housekeepers Maria Coppin and Dave Amber clean up Brightlingsea Ward. Picture: TERRY WEEDEN (41255-1)

First off the mark to get his hands dirty at Colchester General Hospital was Peter Murphy, chief executive of Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust, as part of its first Think Clean Day.

And he got stuck right in the thick of it with the showers.

Mr Murphy said: "What we are doing is not tokenism but gaining a better understanding and insight of what hospital cleaners do, and possibly learning ways that can help them to do their work more effectively.

"We very much want to see it as it is, to get alongside the team and get them to show us what they do and also to extend the standard of cleanliness in the hospital."

Denise Hagel, director of nursing and deputy chief executive and Clive Walsh, director of operations were also becoming cleaners on Monday.

The aims of the day, part of the national cleanyourhands campaign, were to raise awareness of cleanliness and to demonstrate to staff and the public what can be achieved.

Published Wednesday, March 2, 2005

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