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Tuesday, 21 February 2006 10:04 | BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk
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A report by the British Medical Association has recommended that doctors stop wearing ties and white coats in order to combat the spread of superbugs such as MRSA.
In the report on avoiding healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs), the British Medical Association advised doctors and nurses to abandon neckwear, coats and any other "functionless" clothes in favour of freshly laundered, simple outfits.
Ties and white coats are a specific problem because they often go unwashed for long periods and come into regular contact with wounds, passing infections.
The BMA report also emphasised the importance of basic hygiene such as regular hand-washing and clean equipment.
HCAIs including methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile (C.difficile) contribute to the death of up to 5,000 people in the UK every year.
These so-called ‘superbugs’ cost the NHS up to £1 billion per year. A 15 per cent reduction in the incidence of HCAIs would free up around £150 million every year for other NHS resources.
To avoid such infections, which thrive in the stomach after bacteria have been killed off, doctors are also advised to avoid giving antibiotics to the “worried well”.
Dr Vivienne Nathanson, the BMA’s Head of Ethics and Science, said: “It is unlikely that any health service will ever be completely free of HCAIs but there is a lot more that doctors, nurses, cleaners, patients and their visitors could be doing to reduce infections spreading – the fact is around 15 to 30 per cent of HCAIs are preventable.
“A lot of the solutions like hand-washing may sound simple. While strict guidelines are in place about how health professionals need to wash their hands there are barriers to compliance.
“One of the major barriers to doctors following these guidelines is time and the pressure to treat patients and meet targets. Another can be the layout of clinical areas and access to washing facilities.”
She added: “Patients have a role to play too. There is no point demanding antibiotics for a cold, they won’t help you but they will help create ‘superbugs’ ".
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