Wycombe doctors hand washing fiasco

9:44am Thursday 4th December 2008

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THERE’S an unwritten rule when drinking in pubs. Never help yourself to the free crisps and nuts in the bowls on the bar. You never know what muppet has been dipping his hands in there when he hasn’t washed them after going to the toilet.

Whenever I visit the gentlemen’s cloakroom I always want to challenge people who are about to leave without visiting the basin. But then who wants to be punched in the face by someone who hasn’t washed their hands?

So I was staggered, bemused and angry in equal measure when a report by Buckinghamshire hospital officials revealed that half the doctors surveyed were not washing their hands.

The survey found that just 50 per cent of doctors in one department were complying with strict hand hygiene rules, compared to 97 per cent of other staff including nurses.

Of course hygiene and infection controls have become a major issue at our hospitals since the c difficle outbreak claimed 33 lives several years ago and to be fair the Trust is clearly on top of its game.

But this latest report doesn’t help. What is perhaps even more incredible is the reason given for half the doctors not meeting the hand washing ruling. They were new doctors not aware of the strict rules.

Sorry? For a kick off keeping your hands clean is a basic hygienic practice we should be have learned when being brought up.

Secondly surely ALL doctors are taught about strict hopsital hygiene rules during their training.

We simply shouldn’t be reading stories about only half the doctors washing their hands properly.