Dirty hands on show at hospital

Palms, thumbs and fingertips are often forgotten when washing

Staff, patients and visitors at a city hospital who do not wash their hands properly are being shown the error of their ways by a new "glow bug" machine.

Nurses at Birmingham's Heartlands Hospital are inviting people to see how clean their hands are and then advising them how to wash them properly.

The machine is being used in a bid to stop infections spreading on the wards.

A hospital spokeswoman said it shows up the areas people forget to wash such as thumbs and fingertips.

She added: "As children you are taught to wash your hands in a certain way.

"Our technique includes doing things like your palms, thumbs and fingertips which is something which might not feel natural to do.

"It is important not just to wash your hands but to wash them correctly," the spokeswoman said.