HOW many people have to be affected before senior staff at York Hospital take note of the spread of MRSA?

During a recent trip to the hospital to visit a nephew who had broken his leg, I was amazed by what I witnessed.

I was at his bedside when the surgeon came to examine him and explain what the next day's operation to fix his leg was going to entail. His bedside manner was second to none.

It wasn't until he walked away that I noticed the green surgical trousers he was wearing were soaked in blood at the bottom of each leg. He had obviously come straight from theatre to do his rounds. How far had he walked? How many beds had he visited?

How are we going to get MRSA under control in our hospitals if such things are allowed to happen? What are the guidelines for surgeons and other theatre staff concerning clothing worn during operations? Do these guidelines need tightening?

G Douglas,

Bad Bargain Lane,

Burnholme, York.

Updated: 09:39 Wednesday, May 04, 2005