New hygiene scheme to force hospitals to clean up

HOSPITALS will have to qualify for an annual hygiene certificate under a new quality control system beginning in the new year.

The measure is aimed at stamping out so-called super bugs like MRSA and restoring public confidence after an ad-hoc hygiene audit, carried out this time last year, found many hospitals were dirty.

A follow-up audit recorded substantial improvements in most hospitals but the Department of Health ordered a structured hygiene control scheme to be put in place to ensure standards were maintained.