We are in the middle of a Federal election campaign and all parties come forward with every dirty little secret.

A cameraman who used a toilet, found an overflowing sharps container with used needles. OK, this is an OH&S issue.

We all visit or use hospitals. Some of us work there and there are occasions in our lives when we have to be in one.

Hospitals are rife with sharps hazards, viruses and bacteria. Either emergency staff were too busy to deal with the bin and the contract cleaners clearly didn’t get to that area.

In hospitals where maintenance of clinical waste and sharps containers are not tended to and areas are not cleaned properly, the staff, patients and the general public are all put at risk of exposure.

There are a lot of important issues there with the election ahead and our health care.

It has been another week of viewing properties where people with mental health issues, the disabled and elderly live.

Only one was a NSW Department of Housing property. Let’s call her ‘Doris’.

Doris has a mental health worker visit her regularly and she also gets assistance with shopping 5 times a week. I assumed the property would be maintained to a reasonable standard.
How wrong I was.

After a lengthy chat with Doris to help her feel at ease with me, I can look around to see what we need to do. I have a check list in my head and carefully look at Doris’ space.

• Plumbing,
• fridge,
• cooking,
• food,
• smoke detector,
• bedding, and
• showering.

Doris’ case worker is with me and we go over all the hazards in this Department of Housing unit.

• The oven didn’t work,
• the toilet didn’t flush,
• the carpet joins were torn and were trip hazards for Doris.

This situation is not all about cleaning. I stood in the shower, and I don’t get this bit…

The floor was dusty. The cake of soap was like a brick. Something was missing here. I just don’t get it.

We assume we can can do ‘normal life’ every day. You and I have access to a functioning living space. Why not Doris? The toilet didn’t flush and the shower floor was dusty – but she gets shopping help 5 times a week.

I leave Doris’ home with an offer for Clean Queens to give her living environment a make-over. I can see it will be an easy clean.

Doris needs more than a visit 5 times a week and some help with shopping .