Fight against superbugs shifts to health staff in community

Published on Wednesday 22 July 2009 09:52

HEALTH workers in community settings are being urged to make sure they wash their hands before dealing with patients.

After months of NHS Lothian chiefs highlighting hand-washing in hospitals, the focus is now shifting to other elements of the health board's work.

The woman tasked with ensuring hand-washing compliance reaches Scottish Government targets said now that almost everyone was abiding by the rules in hospitals it was time to expand the awareness campaign to reduce superbugs.

An additional 35 ultraviolet light boxes – which detect dirt on the hands – have been circulated to "cleanliness champions" across the Lothians to help the bid.

Anne McQueen, NHS Lothian's hand hygiene co-ordinator, said: "Over the past few years we have focused on hand hygiene in the hospital environment, but now the emphasis is rolling this programme out to community healthcare settings.

"People are always surprised when the UV light shows up the unwashed areas of their hands even when they think that they have applied a good technique with soap and water."