New bid to tackle superbugs

Last updated at 08:59 01 September 2004


Alcohol rubs are to be put beside every hospital patient as part of a major drive to tackle life-threatening superbugs, it was announced today.

The campaign is aiming to save 450 lives and £140 million a year by encouraging hospital staff to clean their hands as often as possible.

It is hoped the initiative will help halt the spread of deadly superbugs, like MRSA, and other infections, which kill 5,000 patients each year.

The Government-funded campaign requires all hospitals to introduce the disinfectant alcohol rubs by next April.

Doctors, nurses and other medical personnel will be encouraged to use the rubs between every patient contact to cut the risk of germs spreading.

As part of the drive, patients will also be encouraged ask staff whether they have washed their hands before they are treated.

The "cleanyourhands" campaign is being launched today by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA). It follows a successful pilot at six hospitals, where the rubs helped treble the rate of hand-cleaning by healthcare staff.

Julie Storr, the NPSA's assistant director for infection control, said the measures would save lives and cut infection rates by up to 50%.

"It will certainly dramatically reduce the chances of MRSA spreading, as well as other bugs," she said.

"We know that around 5,000 patients a year die as a result of infections picked up in hospital. We are confident this initiative will save 450 lives a year."

Ms Storr said the alcohol rubs would help the busiest nurses to improve their hand hygiene - to the benefit of patients.

"We know that staff are aware that they should clean their hands before and between every patient contact, but there are a mass of barriers to it happening in practice," she said.

"A nurse in intensive care, for example, may be required to wash their hands 40 times in any one hour."

The alcohol rubs take the form of a gel, which is rubbed into the hands. They do not require water or the use of a towel.

The Department of Health is providing extra cash to fund the campaign as part of its multi-pronged attack on hospital superbugs, unveiled earlier this year.

Health minister Lord Warner said: "Tackling these infections has to be a major priority for all healthcare staff, as well as the Government.

"This campaign is a world first which deals with the problem at a number of levels."

Hospital-acquired infections strike some 100,000 people each year in England.

MRSA, or methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, first appeared in the 1960s but has reached epidemic levels in the past few years.

Some strains of the bug are resistant to almost all known antibiotics, and fighting it already costs the NHS an estimated £1 billion a year.

Patient power, supervision of cleaners by ward sisters or matrons, new hospitals and experts from abroad are some of the other moves intended to cut hospital-acquired infections and improve hygiene standards.

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