New move to cut needlestick injuries

The executive's report has been broadly welcomed

New guidelines have been drawn up in a bid to cut the number of needlestick injuries among NHS staff in Scotland.

The Scottish Executive issued the guidance on Friday after a study into the extent of the problem.

Around 10m needles are used every year by the NHS in Scotland leading to about 2,500 needlestick injuries, two-thirds of which are suffered by nurses.

The executive will invest £270,000 over the next two years to support the recommendations made in a report on the issues.

Those measures will include improving education and training and looking at the introduction of safer devices.

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Health bodies and unions welcomed the report as a positive step towards the creation of a safer working environment.

Speaking at Unison's Scottish Health Conference, Health Minister Susan Deacon said: "We need to look after hard-working NHS staff.

"That means looking out for their health and safety. Nobody should be made ill by their work - especially in the NHS.

"One of the most common types of injury caused to NHS staff - especially nurses - are those involving needles.

"That is why we have been working in partnership with staff to investigate the problem and develop solutions to reduce the incidence of these injuries."

Hundreds of nurses suffer stress and anxiety because of needlestick injuries

James Kennedy, Royal College of Nursing

She stressed that needlestick injuries were not "part of the job" and said it was very important that staff adopted best practices at all times to protect themselves and their colleagues.

The minister said estimates put the cost to the NHS of such injuries at £260,000 a year.

She said: "It represents resources the NHS could be using for patient-care, and the human cost of a member of staff actually contracting a blood-borne virus is incalculable."

Unison spokesman Jim Devine said: "Unison were the first organisation to raise concerns on this issue with the Scottish Executive.

"This is a clear signal that the Scottish Executive intend to make the workplace a safer working environment."

Royal College of Nursing spokesman, James Kennedy, said: "Hundreds of nurses suffer stress and anxiety because of needlestick injuries, yet these would not happen if there were a safer system in their workplaces.

"The Scottish Executive's support for better training and use of safety devices in needles will go a long way in reducing the number of needlestick injuries to healthcare workers."