A hospital which was slated by inspectors after blood-splattered and contaminated equipment was found on two wards has improved its cleaning regime.
Caithness General in Wick was revisited by the Healthcare Environment Inspectorate in May after issues were raised about cleanliness in a previous visit last September.
The checks focused on the Bignold and Rosebank wards and the Henderson maternity unit, where inspectors found “significant improvements”.
Susan Brimelow, HEI chief inspector, said: “During this inspection in May 2014, we saw that improvements had been made to the standard of cleaning in the hospital since our last inspection.
“All patient equipment checked was clean, and we found the standard of cleanliness across all wards inspected had improved. As a result, NHS Highland has fully met all three requirements made previously.
“This inspection resulted in no new requirements or recommendations.
“We will continue to inspect Caithness General Hospital to ensure that the improvements seen during this inspection are sustained.”
On the previous visit, inspectors found blood contamination in equipment in the Henderson unit and Rosebank ward.
Problems found in the high dependency room in Rosebank included contaminated pressure relieving cushions and blood pressure cuffs and dust on the resuscitation trolley.
Elsewhere, inspectors found blood on storage containers, sharps bins and under a shelf, a contaminated patient duvet stored in a clean laundry trolley and contaminated commodes and toilet seats.
In the Henderson unit, they found blood on stirrups, the underside of bed frames and bed rails in the delivery rooms and on clinical waste bins in a delivery room and the sluice room.
The report called for further improvement in the standard of cleaning and maintenance both of reusable patient equipment and in the hospital’s high-dependency units.