A SUCCESSFUL clean hands campaign at York Hospital is to be rolled out onto every ward to help combat infections such as the superbug MRSA.

It means that hand hygiene is still high on the agenda two years after York Hospitals NHS Trust was chosen as one of six pilot sites for the National Patient Safety Agency campaign.

Figures show that the hospital cut the rate of MRSA infection from 32 cases in 2003/04 to 26 in 2004/05.

The hand hygiene campaign aims to make sure all healthcare staff clean their hands with alcohol gel before and after coming into contact with patients, with gel now available at every bedside.

It also encourages patients to ask staff if they have cleaned their hands, and to tell visitors to do the same when coming on to and leaving wards.

An awareness event for staff, patients and visitors was launched at the Wigginton Road site yesterday. There were demonstrations of correct hand-washing techniques using an ultra violet lightbox.

People were asked to rub UV sensitive cream on to their hands and then wash them in the normal way.

Any cream left on their hands glowed brightly under the box and indicated that they had not washed their hands thoroughly enough.

Vicki Parkin, senior infection control nurse at the trust, said: "Hand hygiene plays a vital part in preventing the spread of germs, which may cause infection in vulnerable patients, including MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) which can make a person poorly if it enters their bloodstream.

"Staff on the wards should feel proud of their achievements in making this work a success.

"We look forward to seeing their good practice shared across the trust."

As well as using the alcohol gel rub, most hospital staff now wear a badge with the Clean Your Hands logo on to remind everyone to practice good hand hygiene.

Staff and visitors will also be reminded to clean their hands by the continual use of visual posters, changed regularly, to have an impact on behaviour.

The campaign also focuses on educating patients and visitors on the importance of their role in hand hygiene and lowering healthcare associated infections (HCAIs).

This includes providing patients with leaflets on hand hygiene, and running a series of hand hygiene awareness events.

Vicki said: "All staff have shown sustained commitment to hand hygiene throughout this campaign. Everyone must act as a champion and role model for practicing hand hygiene at all times."

NHS trust faces financial 'challenge'

HEALTH chiefs in York vowed to look to the future with confidence - despite substantial funding worries.

The board of York Hospitals NHS Trust met yesterday to discuss financial plans for the year ahead which the trust's director of finance, Patrick Crowley, described as "very challenging".

Earlier this week, the Evening Press reported how health services in York and Selby could face funding cuts as the organisation in charge of NHS spending - the primary care trust - attempts to claw back £14.7 million. Bosses at the hospital trust have been discussing expenditure plans based around the cash it expects to receive this year.

Mr Crowley said it was a "reasonable" assessment taking into account spending needs, deficit brought forward and inflation.

While he admitted the plan was "cautious," he said: "It is important that we are able to move forward with confidence based around our expenditure plans."

Chief executive Jim Easton said the plan was based on an assumption of income that had not yet been secured.

He said: "It is a reasonable assumption, but it is dependent on receiving that funding, particularly from Selby and York Primary Care Trust."

Trust chairman Alan Maynard said if the plans were damaged then meeting Government waiting time targets would be very difficult.

He said: "This is where we lie - somewhat at variance with what funding and commissioning agencies think should be the position."

Bosses at the PCT are currently £9.4 million in debt and predict that if they do nothing, they will be £28 million in debt by the end of the 2005/2006 financial year.

A three-year recovery plan has been drawn up to clear the deficit.

Updated: 10:37 Thursday, May 26, 2005