Operations Manager Gary Jones is leading a team of 58 colleagues providing mobile cleaning teams to London Ambulance Service (LAS) at 14 of the capital’s Accident & Emergency hospitals.
The team operates a service to make sure London’s ambulances are in the best possible condition so that medics can work safely and effectively to provide care to patients across the city.
Interserve has run the facilities management contract to the LAS for several years, which includes Make Ready teams working from hubs across the city which clean ambulances and makes sure they are properly stocked with several hundred items to enable medics and NHS colleagues to do their jobs.
The pilot service was launched to create extra capacity as part of the UK’s response to COVID-19. The innovation consists of two colleagues being based at each of the 14 A&E hospitals working from a vehicle that contains all the cleaning equipment necessary to clean ambulances that have been used by non-COVID-19 patients.
While the medics transport the patient into the hospital, the team cleans the ambulance onsite - so that within 20 to 30-minutes the ambulance is ready to get back on the road.
Gary Jones, Operations Manager, said: “Previously we worked from a few hubs spread across London so that each ambulance, having dropped off the patient, would have to drive to the nearest location so cleaning and re-stocking could take place.
“The innovation we have worked with the NHS to introduce significantly reduces the time it takes to turn an ambulance around because that drive time has been eliminated as we have taken the service to them.
“Because of the extra pressure placed on the healthcare system by COVID-19, any type of innovation we can make which saves time and delivers efficiencies is vital. I am delighted we have been able to support the LAS by adopting this pilot.”
Ambulances that have transported patients with Confirmed COVID-19 are taken to one of five specialist hubs managed by Interserve. If ambulances need restocking, they also must travel to the nearest hub.
Mr Jones said: “For the majority of medical vehicles we deliver cleaning services to, this system greatly speeds up the procedure. It is also reducing carbon emissions.
“We are committed to getting each vehicle back on the road as safely, efficiently and effectively as possible.
“I am proud of the incredible work our teams are carrying out in challenging circumstances.”
Mr Jones joined Interserve in 2006 and has managed numerous contracts for the company, including Network Rail, a social housing contract with East Thames Group and London Underground. He took on the six-month contract with the LAS after his previous contract reached its natural conclusion and he was offered the opportunity to switch roles by the company’s Redeployment Team.
Interserve provides services to 11 NHS hospitals, six healthcare facilities, the LAS and the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service. Services the company delivers range from security through to cleaning, catering, maintenance and portering duties.
The team operates a service to make sure London’s ambulances are in the best possible condition so that medics can work safely and effectively to provide care to patients across the city.
Interserve has run the facilities management contract to the LAS for several years, which includes Make Ready teams working from hubs across the city which clean ambulances and makes sure they are properly stocked with several hundred items to enable medics and NHS colleagues to do their jobs.
The pilot service was launched to create extra capacity as part of the UK’s response to COVID-19. The innovation consists of two colleagues being based at each of the 14 A&E hospitals working from a vehicle that contains all the cleaning equipment necessary to clean ambulances that have been used by non-COVID-19 patients.
While the medics transport the patient into the hospital, the team cleans the ambulance onsite - so that within 20 to 30-minutes the ambulance is ready to get back on the road.
Gary Jones, Operations Manager, said: “Previously we worked from a few hubs spread across London so that each ambulance, having dropped off the patient, would have to drive to the nearest location so cleaning and re-stocking could take place.
“The innovation we have worked with the NHS to introduce significantly reduces the time it takes to turn an ambulance around because that drive time has been eliminated as we have taken the service to them.
“Because of the extra pressure placed on the healthcare system by COVID-19, any type of innovation we can make which saves time and delivers efficiencies is vital. I am delighted we have been able to support the LAS by adopting this pilot.”
Ambulances that have transported patients with Confirmed COVID-19 are taken to one of five specialist hubs managed by Interserve. If ambulances need restocking, they also must travel to the nearest hub.
Mr Jones said: “For the majority of medical vehicles we deliver cleaning services to, this system greatly speeds up the procedure. It is also reducing carbon emissions.
“We are committed to getting each vehicle back on the road as safely, efficiently and effectively as possible.
“I am proud of the incredible work our teams are carrying out in challenging circumstances.”
Mr Jones joined Interserve in 2006 and has managed numerous contracts for the company, including Network Rail, a social housing contract with East Thames Group and London Underground. He took on the six-month contract with the LAS after his previous contract reached its natural conclusion and he was offered the opportunity to switch roles by the company’s Redeployment Team.
Interserve provides services to 11 NHS hospitals, six healthcare facilities, the LAS and the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service. Services the company delivers range from security through to cleaning, catering, maintenance and portering duties.