A team of hospital cleaners made a clean sweep at a special awards ceremony held at Withybush Hospital this week. Nearly 60 hotel facilities and domestic staff at Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust swept away national awards recognising high standards of quality in their cleaning work. The Cleaning Operatives Proficiency Certificate award from the British Institute of Cleaning Science will help to ensure that the Trust has a highly-qualified cleaning workforce, improved quality of cleaning provision and a motivated cleaning staff. Said Colin Hasson, vice-president of the British Institute of Cleaning Science, who run the scheme: "This is a fine achievement and possibly unique amongst hospitals in Wales. Everyone at the Trust are congratulated on their efforts." Acting chief executive, Mrs. Caroline Oakley added: "We are really proud of the important work that our domestic staff carry out, not just in keeping the hospital clean and so minimising infection, but also in bridging the gap between patients and staff. They help us to provide a better environment for patients which results in better care." The training initiative was instigated last year after the Trust secured £37,000 in Welsh Assembly Government funding to help meet new National Standards of Cleanliness guidelines and Welsh Risk Management Standards for Cleanliness. The aim is to provide training for 260 staff across the Trust. To achieve this, hotel facilities supervisor David Williams had to qualify as a registered BICs assessor. Said David: "I would like to congratulate all staff for their hard work. The Trust is continuously seeking to improve cleanliness and there is always more to do, but standards are improving and staff are more motivated. We hope to see more staff achieving this award in the future." Trust chairman Lynette George said: "It is not only patients and visitors who value this work, but staff do so as well. The whole of the NHS work as a team, you are part of that team, and we, as a Trust, depend upon your work and appreciate your continuous effort."