THE battle against the risk of bugs in Fairfield Hospital has been stepped up as visitors are being asked to use the newly-installed alcohol rub dispensers.

The dispensers have been fitted beside the beds - which total around 500 - for both staff and visitors to use before and after visiting patients.

Sylvia Maxfield, the hospital's infection control nurse, explained: "Since before the time of Florence Nightingale, cleaning your hands properly has been an absolute cornerstone of good infection control. This applies both to staff and to visitors. To cut the risks of infection we need the help of everyone."

The rub has been installed at hospital bedsides in all hospitals run by the Pennine Acute Trust and will be followed later this year by a Wash Your Hands publicity campaign to remind everyone about the importance of hygiene.

Deaths linked to the MRSA superbug doubled between 1999 and 2003, according to the Office of National Statistics, and experts believe better hygiene could reduce that rate by 15 per cent.Sylvia added: "There will never be a 'victory' over bugs. They are extremely complex to tackle, but good hygiene controls will always give us a good head start."