‘Highly Commended’ in the 2016 BIFM British Institute of Facilities Management Awards, South London & Maudsley NHS Trust’s innovative Clean & Care project has gone from strength to strength – and Prochem Europe is cited as key contributor to its success.

Established at London’s Tooting Bec Hospital in 1993, the project, now run by Lambeth Vocation Services, was one of the first in the UK to offer paid work and training to adults in contact with mental health services.

Back then, patients on therapeutic schemes reported their work as menial and unrewarding. A group was set up to discuss opportunities for employment and it was agreed with patients that carpet cleaning would meet the criteria for ethical and meaningful paid work.

Originally named Home Cleaning Services, the team received national recognition, winning an equality award and Beacon status from the Department of Health.

In 2003, the project received a grant from Guys and St Thomas’s Charity which enabled the purchase of more equipment and funding for a full time Project Co-ordinator in Kevin Poulton.

“From the very start, the project had bought Prochem machines and chemicals,” he says. “The machines have proven reliable and long-lasting and as with the chemicals are easy to use and highly effective.”

In 2007, the project became part of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Vocational Services and began to receive core funding from the NHS as health professionals and service users alike recognized that meaningful work, increased income and a renewed sense of purpose were important to improved mental health and well being.

“Being awarded a £368K contract from Lambeth Council to clean carpets and floors in Lambeth libraries enabled the project to grow significantly and take the work to an industrial scale,” says Kevin, “We have now diversified from carpet cleaning into more broadly based office cleaning with a new name Clean & Care and, recently, a brand new business web site too.”

More recently, the project has also invested in training, enabling team members to attend courses at Prochem’s training centre in Chessington. Kevin reports the training the cleaners receive as ‘substantially improving’ the results they achieve.

“Training has been core to developing our people and creating a commercial enterprise that offers professional carpet, floor and upholstery cleaning at competitive rates in offices, homes and hospitals while also enabling hundreds of people who have worked for it to learn work skills, gain self-confidence and achieve vocational goals,” he relates.

“Customers have been very impressed and our cleaners pick up the skills to help them go on to work in full employment or education under their own initiative, as indeed many now do.”

Clean & Care use Prochem Steempro extractors on carpets, upholstery and hard floors as well some hard surfaces and favour a complement of chemicals including Multi Pro, the Natural range, Fibre & Fabric Rinse, Prespray Gold and Neutra-Soft.

Says Kevin: “These work well for us and as with all things Prochem, are professional and reliable tools for the job.”

Find out more: www.cleanandcare.org.uk