Death of the hospital white coat

Iconic doctors' white coats are to be scrapped from hospital wards and replaced with short-sleeved versions in a bid to reduce healthcare-associated infections.

The 'superbugs' MRSA and Clostridium difficile (C-diff) have hit headlines in the past couple of years as healthcare trusts struggled to contain the spread of infection; latest figures show that MRSA rates are falling but cases of C-diff are continuing to rise.

Long-sleeved clothing has come under the firing line as it is thought it makes hand and wrist washing less efficient, potentially spreading infection from ward to ward.

Health secretary Alan Johnson announced the decision to change doctors' coats as part of a range of measures aimed at improving ward cleanliness.

Shirts must also be short-sleeved and wrist watches and jewellery will be banned from wards.

Matrons and clinical directors will be expected to report quarterly to trust boards on infection control and trust chief executives will be legally required to provide information on infection rates.

Commenting on the guidelines, health secretary Alan Johnson said: "I'm determined that patient safety, including cleanliness, should be the first priority of every NHS organisation. Across the NHS we continue to bring the number of MRSA cases down and make progress on measures to reduce C-difficile.

"Today's package of measures will give more responsibility to matrons and set guidelines on clothing that will help ensure thorough hand washing and prevent the spread of infections. This is a clear signal to patients that doctors, nurses, and other clinical staff are taking their safety seriously."

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