Oswestry Orthopaedic Hospital doctors fail on hand hygiene

Doctors at Oswestry's Orthopaedic Hospital are letting the side down when it comes to hand washing hygiene, trust board members have heard.

Although the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital has much higher than average scores for hand hygiene, it failed to hit its target of 95 per cent of staff complying with regulations during the quarter July to September.

Vicky Morris, director of nursing, said: "The scores are being negatively skewed by performance of doctors."

Figures showed that in August and September nurses were over the 95 per cent target but doctors were just above 80 per cent in August and just under in September.

Mrs Morris told a trust meeting yesterday that the figures were gleaned during 20-minute spot checks. She said that nationally doctors were thought to be less compliant and said that staff had been encouraged to challenge poor practice.

"We are looking at why these figures are such and one consultant has volunteered to be videoed during ward rounds," she added.