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National News
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Surgeries
| 18.07.08 - C. Difficile |
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| Written by Brynle Williams AM |
| Friday, 18 July 2008 00:00 |
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I’d like to concentrate my contribution on hospital hygiene from the patient, and hospital visitor’s point of view. As a regular visitor to Wrexham Maelor Hospital, where a great many members of staff are doing a fantastic job, I have been seriously concerned about the attitude toward hygiene, that has at times appeared appears haphazard, and the Minister will be aware that I have written to her on a number of occasions about constituents with complaints about cleanliness in other North Wales hospitals. From the patient’s perspective, current practices are doing little to inspire confidence. I have spoken with nurses who have told me that there is no facility for their uniforms to be clean and collected on-site, from Wrexham Maelor, instead they are back from work – in the same uniforms that they have worn during their shift. It should be common sense that wherever simple steps to minimise the risk of transmitting diseases like C.difficile and MRSA, could be taken – then they are taken, and I wish to welcome the amendment from the Liberal Democrats that supports on-site cleaning for uniforms and clothes. I have also been astounded to see patients sitting outside smoking, in their dressing gowns with wheelchairs and with other medical equipment like drips, and the outside of the hospital being treated like a giant ashtray. It’s all very well to be encouraging hand-washing, but common-sense should say that patients continually traipsing in and out of wards, with medical equipment, will only increase the risk of transmitting infection throughout a hospital. In fairness, the onus on ward cleanliness shouldn’t just be on cleaning staff and nurses – patients, visitors, and family all have a role to play in stopping infections being spread through the hospital. I know the Minister is serious about reducing hospital infections, like C. Difficile, but clearly Welsh hospitals have a long way to go before they meet the expectations of the patients using them. |