A SCOTTISH health board has been ordered to tighten up infection controls after a Government watchdog found hospital staff were not being properly protected against Hepatitis B.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued six improvement notices and a notice of contravention to NHS Grampian following a number of inspections.
Issues highlighted include problems related to falls, hazardous chemicals and infectious disease prevention measures.
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The HSE told the health board that it does not have sufficient measures in place to guard against the threat of Hepatitis B, a blood borne virus which could cause death or damage the liver.
There were failures to make arrangements for the “effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review” of the preventive and protective measures identified by NHS Grampian to comply with national requirements.
The health board was given until the end of this week to comply with the improvement notices following the inspections.
An NHS Grampian spokesman said inspectors visited Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital and Aberdeen Maternity Hospital.
Other medical facilities – Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin, Woodend Hospital and Aberdeen Health & Care Village – were also inspected.
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The spokesman added: “We have accepted the need for action and given a commitment to addressing the issues which started immediately on the receipt of the feedback.
“A number of staff briefing sessions have taken place and we have been impressed at the level of engagement. Our staff are working hard to implement the improvements required.”
Scotland’s top infections expert, Professor Hugh Pennington, said proper training programmes should be carried out within hospitals to make sure staff and patients were protected.
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