Cleaning is Patient Safety: Empowering the People Who Keep Hospitals Safe

In this episode, Martin Kiernan talks with Dr Alexandra Peters, President of Clean Hospitals, ahead of the annual Clean Hospitals Day on 20 October.

They discuss this year’s theme of empowerment—why environmental services staff should be recognised as frontline healthcare workers, and why training, professionalisation and giving them a voice matter for patient safety. Alexandra describes how training, certification and career progression are used to professionalise environmental services in Switzerland, and why giving staff knowledge isn't enough if they aren't also given a voice. The conversation asks a fundamental question: should an environmental services worker have the authority to say that a room isn't yet safe for the next patient—even when operational pressures say otherwise?

Alexandra also explains how you can get involved in Clean Hospitals Day 2026, with free campaign resources available in 22 languages.

Clean Hospitals Website: www.cleanhospitals.com

Direct link to the promotional materials here: https://cleanhospitals.com/promotional-toolkit-2026/ 

Peters A, Mocenic M, Brois P, Rioja E, Mitchell BG, Dancer SJ, et al. Clean hospitals day 2026: empowerment of environmental services staff. Journal of Hospital Infection 2026;176:201–3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2026.09.015. 

Direct link to the paper: https://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701(26)00373-7/pdf