Extra cash to clean-up hospitals

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An extra Â£9m is to be spent cleaning up hospitals over the next three years.

Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said he wants to reduce the spread of infections like MRSA and C. difficile.

Among the measures planned are more single rooms in new hospitals, restricting hospital visiting and spot checks on hospital hygiene.

This week it emerged that C. difficile was linked to the deaths of 16 patients in three hospitals in the Northern Health Trust area.

An independent review into the C. difficile outbreak in Antrim Hospital will be carried out as soon as the current outbreak has been contained.

A campaign to encourage hand washing is to be launched, MRSA screening for high risk patients as well as a dress code for all health care staff.

Additional funding is to go towards setting up rapid response cleaning teams at all hospitals

The performance of health trusts in controlling infections will also be published quarterly.

"Hospital acquired infections, such as MRSA and C. difficile, are a major concern for the public," Mr McGimpsey said.

"While we can never completely eradicate them, I expect trusts to take every possible step to minimise the risk of infection to patients."