Hospital hygeine improves

The Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske in Truro is in the top 20 per cent of acute trusts for hand hygeine, according to the health watchdog.

Staff at at the hospital have some of the best hand washing facilities in the country. 

A national survey of NHS workers in 2008, published today, shows that over 80 per cent of staff at Treliske have access to hot water, soap and paper towels or alcohol rubs whenever they need them.

Last year the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust  failed to meet NHS targets for reducing the incidence of the hospital superbug, MRSA.  Frequent hand washing between dealing with patients is a crucial part of the battle against infection. 

Patients and visitors also have above-average access to handwahing facilities at Treliske, says the Care Quality Commission report.

Near miss

The survey found that a third of staff had witnessed a near miss incident that could have harmed a patient.  At 33 per cent, that is just above the average of 30 per cent, and places the Cornwall trust in the bottom third of acute hospitals. 

But Treliske's performance compares favourably with Great Ormond Street children's hospital in London where over 40 per cent of staff said they had seen a near accident involving a patient.

Low morale continues to dog staff at Royal Cornwall Hospital. On virtually every measure of job satisfaction, workers scored below average.

The hospital's service provision has been labelled "weak"' for the past last three years by the Care Quality Commission..