OOH, matron...!
Life-size models of a matron have been introduced into hospital main entrances in Huddersfield and Calderdale to help spread the word about hand hygiene in a bid to help reduce infections.
The cutouts of matron Louise Taylor remind everyone who visits or works in the Trust’s two hospitals, Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, how important it is to use the alcohol hand gels when they enter and leave wards and wash their hands after going to the toilet.
Louise said: “If the models help get the message across to everyone about the importance of hand hygiene then that’s great. Although I can’t say I enjoy bumping into myself every day!
“But the message is a very a serious and important one. The simple action of washing your hands can stop the spread of all sorts of infections from the stomach bugs which can spread quickly through hospitals to MRSA and clostridium difficile.”
David Birkenhead, director of infection prevention and control, said: “I am sure people will have heard that we had to restrict hospital wards because of an outbreak of gastroenteritis last month.
“These bugs spread easily from person to person but can also be destroyed by the simple measure of hand washing.
“A real team effort will help us tackle these infections and bring about benefits for most importantly our patients, but also our staff and visitors.”
Last month six wards at the Royal Infirmary were closed to new patients for several days because of an outbreak of a gastric bug.
There were also problems at the Calderdale Hospital, with wards shut down.
