Hospitals improving hand hygiene

Staff, patients and visitors can view how clean their hands are

Hospital staff in Lanarkshire have significantly improved their hand-washing standards according to new figures.

Statistics for August show hand hygiene levels for NHS Lanarkshire were 91% - exceeding the national target of 90%.

The health board is currently running a campaign aimed at further increasing hand-washing levels.

Staff, patients and visitors can test their hygiene levels using special ultraviolet light boxes.

Health Protection Scotland audits hand cleaning standards at health boards across the country.

Figures published in April this year showed NHS Lanarkshire had the lowest hand-washing rating in Scotland at just 75%.

Since then staff have been working hard to improve this.

Medical director Alison Graham said: "It is fantastic news that we surpassed the national target of 90% during the audit carried out in August.

"Staff are to be congratulated for their hard work and commitment in achieving this level of compliance."

This is the most important things people can do to tackle infection. Clean hands really do save lives Jan Clarkson Infection control nurse

"Our patients deserve no less and this will give confidence about the high quality of care we provide in Lanarkshire."

NHS Lanarkshire infection control nurses are holding stalls at Monklands, Hairmyres and Wishaw General hospitals to give advice on hand hygiene and infection.

Nurse consultant Jan Clarkson said: "We want to remind everyone that practising good hand hygiene is the most important thing people can do to tackle infection.

She added: "Clean hands really do save lives."

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