Auditing hygiene standards

A new programme has been devised to improve hygiene in schools

School hygiene has never been more important, with viruses such as E. coli, norovirus and swine flu all posing a serious threat to a school's health every day. It is estimated that 100,000 people a week catch norovirus, but this can be reduced, with studies showing that regular and appropriate hand-cleaning and drying can cut infection in children.

Thousands of school days are lost every year due to avoidable illness and outbreaks pose a serious impact on children’s health and a school’s functionality. The Albany Healthy Schools programme has been created in association with Dr Ron Cutler, a microbiologist at Queen Mary, University of London, to help schools improve their hygiene standards and reduce social, economic and environmental impacts.

Schools can get a free audit that appraises the needs and priorities of the school, including the hygiene educational needs of pupils, teachers and cleaning support staff. Following the audit, a hygiene specialist presents the results and recommendations to schools and provides them with independent advice on the latest hygiene best practice.

For a free audit, visit www.albanyhealthyschools.co.uk or call 0870 366 5777.

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