INFECTIONS acquired by patients while in hospital are being tackled in York after a report claimed it led to 5,000 deaths nationally every year.
As reported in the Evening Press on Thursday, the House of Commons public accounts committee demanded that the National Health Service deals with the problem, which costs £1 billion a year.
And York NHS Trust immediately launched an initiative to improve standards.
The trust's infection control team has visited wards and departments to demonstrate hand-washing techniques and discuss safe practice.
And it has introduced a "Glo and Show" machine, which uses UV light to show up poor hand-washing techniques.
The trust also launches a poster campaign next week to highlight the importance of hand-washing in avoiding infection.
Mike Proctor, director of nursing at the trust, said: "We're trying to keep awareness about infection control high among staff to make sure it becomes part of everyday practice."
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