ERI learning from clubs in effort to beat superbugs

THEY may be more commonly found in nightclubs, but health chiefs believe ultra-violet lights could be the latest weapon against superbugs in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Two light boxes have been trialled at the hospital to allow staff, visitors, and patients to check they have washed their hands properly before entering wards.

Placing hands under the ultra-violet rays highlights any parts which not been scrubbed clean.

The idea was trialled as part of NHS Lothian's Hand Hygiene campaign and could now be rolled out hospital-wide.

The ultra-violet lights were manned by six student nurses last week to ensure all staff and visitors cleaned their hands sufficiently.

Ann McQueen, local health board co-ordinator for the National Hand Hygiene Campaign, said: "When people wash their hands they often miss large areas without realising. The aim of the boxes is to show people how to wash their hands properly, and to help make good hand hygiene a part of their regular routine."

As well as helping to tackle the spread of superbugs like MRSA, proper hand washing is one of the most effective ways to stop the transfer of many bacteria and viruses which can cause illness such as food poisoning, sore throats, colds, and cold sores.

Unison, the public services union, warned that technology alone would not be enough and urged NHS Lothian to do more to educate members of the public.

Mick McGahey, Unison branch secretary for the Lothian University Hospitals Division, said: "We are aware that NHS Lothian has been making a real effort to ensure that, not just staff, but also visitors and relatives wash their hands appropriately.

"It's worth trying everything to control infection, not just because of the consequences in terms of litigation but also because of the pressure it puts on our members.

"People come to hospital to get better not worse."

He added: "This is important but the public also has to be educated so that washing their hands when they enter a ward is an automatic thing for them to do."

NHS Lothian has already looked at using "speech pods" with recorded messages urging people to wash their hands before entering a ward. That idea was trailed last year and its impact is currently being evaluated.