HYGIENE in hospitals is never far from the headlines. Both locally and nationally, patients are aware more than ever of potential superbugs. Chief reporter DAVID HIGGERSON looks at what's happening in our local hospitals. . .

WHEN we go into hospital, we normally expect to come out feeling better - and certainly don't expect to pick up something else while we're there.

Yet for 100 people in East Lancashire last year, that's exactly what happened.

According to figures released by the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Blackburn Royal Infirmary, Queen's Park Hospital, Accrington Victoria, Burnley General, Rossendale General and Pendle Community Hospital, scores of patients contracted the methicillin- resistant staphylococcus aureus - or MRSA.

The deadly superbug has become a by-word for dirty wards, unhygienic cleaning and poor maintenance in the national media. But in local hospitals at least that image couldn't be further from the truth.

MRSA has become a problem simply as it grows resistant to many antibiotics. It stems from a bacteria which lives quite harmlessly on people's noses.

But once it gets into the bloodstream - as can happen if patients suffer a cut or has a drip fitted - it can prove deadly.

Thankfully, none of the patients who have contracted MRSA at East Lancashire's hospitals, including four babies, have died.

The trust's annual infection control review has highlighted several areas where more could be done to prevent an outbreak of the virus.

Staff have received advice about washing their hands more often, while alcohol-based cleanser has been made readily available on wards.

And a extension at Queen's Park Hospital, which will lead to the merger of services from Blackburn Royal Infirmary, has been designed with hygiene in mind, with more wash basins for staff.

Ice-making machines, where swabs samples showed traces of MRSA, are also now scrubbed more regularly.

Richard Gildert, acting chief executive of the trust, said: "Infection control is taken extremely seriously, with investment in both equipment and training in the latest thinking on prevention and control.

"The trust is committed to providing high quality care and services and this inevitably requires monitoring systems and investment programmes."

To that end, annual mattress audits now take place throughout the trust, created when Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust merged with the Burnley Health Trust.

The findings of last year's audit for the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale hospitals revealed that of the 600 checked, a third of mattresses to be replaced after failing a three-point test- not too hard, too wet or too stained.

The majority of mattresses, however, failed on at least one point. Similar audits are also carried out at Blackburn's two hospitals.

Dr Ruth White, the trust's director of infection control, said: "We aim to ensure that mattresses are clean, in good condition and part of a rolling programme of replacement."

Although rates of MRSA for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust were lower than average, according to Government figures, nationally they are on the rise. The area's Patients' Forum recently took part in a national sweep of non-emergency wards to check whether there were any breeding grounds for bugs such as MRSA.

Initial findings for the North West were that the vast majority of wards impressed the watchdog. And Mollie Manthorpe, chairman of the forum, said overall they too were happy.

"There were areas which we intend to raise concern about," she said, "but overall staff were doing an excellent job and had everything at their disposal to do their job safely.

"There were a couple of maintenance issues but staff were very helpful and, like us, know that preventing MRSA is as much about basic hygiene as anything else."