Fraser Health has admitted that cleaning protocols have not been followed at Burnaby Hospital in a response to a formal complaint filed by a patient.
The patient, who did not want their identity revealed, supplied the NOW with a copy of the letter from a Fraser Health “patient care quality officer” dated April 13, 2021.
The patient filed the complaint after a stay at Burnaby Hospital in the emergency department in January, saying the hospital was “unclean” and “filthy” and that staff did not conduct regular cleanings.
In response, Fraser Health investigated the claims and an inspector reviewed washroom logs and work routines, including an assessment with the housekeeping operations manager at the hospital, who works for the contractor Aramark.
The letter says washrooms are “expected to be cleaned every two hours.” (A screenshot of the response can be seen above.)
“The housekeeping staff should also be maintaining a log sheet on the washroom door to indicate when the area was cleaned,” the letter says. “(The inspector’s) review has shown that the log sheets were not being completed regularly. We are very disappointed that this has happened and are committed to working with the housekeeping contractor (Aramark) to address this concern. The Aramark manager will be reviewing the washroom cleaning schedule and the importance of completing the cleaning log with her staff at their daily huddles.”
“We are very sorry that this was your experience at the hospital and agree that it is not acceptable for any areas, especially washrooms, to not be cleaned regularly.”