Patients become NHS bug busters

The Edinburgh Royal Infirmary will be involved with the new system

Hospital patients are being asked to become hygiene inspectors under plans announced by a health board.

NHS Lothian is rolling out the new "patient environment monitoring teams" following successful pilots.

The teams will be made up of staff, an infection control manager and a patient nominated from the hospital patient representative group.

The pilots took place at St John's in Livingston, as well as Roodlands and Herdmanflat Hospitals in East Lothian.

A team will begin work at Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary early next year.

'Not complacent'

The inspection teams, which are already used in some English hospitals, will look at factors such as the hospital environment, food, tidiness and infection control, as well as privacy and dignity.

Bob Anderson, interim chairman of NHS Lothian, said: "We are pleased to see that high levels of cleanliness are being achieved at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, just as we have consistently received good ratings for the hospitals where we directly employ our cleaning staff.

"However, we are not complacent, and our new patient environment monitoring teams will be a new way of making sure we continue to maintain high standards.

"It clearly makes sense to involve patients formally in the process of ensuring we provide the best possible facilities for them and we are grateful for their input."