No excuse on handwashing says Nicola Sturgeon

THERE is no excuse for NHS staff not to wash their hands, health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday after inspectors criticised one Scottish hospital.

The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate praised work at St John's Hospital in Livingston to provide a clean environment and tackle infection. But it said while good hand hygiene was generally observed among staff, on one of the wards inspected they were not washing or cleaning their hands appropriately when moving between beds.

Ms Sturgeon said: "There really is no excuse for staff failing to comply with hand hygiene procedures, given it is recognised as one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of infections in our hospitals."

Elsewhere yesterday, Ms Sturgeon talked to patients at Borders General Hospital Renal Unit in Melrose.