Screening plan for superbug

All patients will be screened for the superbug MRSA under plans to improve standards in hospitals.

The idea has been recommended by experts to help reduce infection rates in the NHS in Scotland.

From next year patients will be interviewed on or before admission to determine if they are at risk from the bug.

Questions include whether they had the infection before, if they arrived from a hospital or care home, if they have a wound, or if they have a device such as a catheter fitted.

Anyone who answers "yes" to any question will then be swabbed for MRSA.

Patients in five high-risk areas - renal, cardiothoracic, vascular, intensive care and orthopaedics - will be routinely tested using swabbing.

Yesterday health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "I've made tackling healthcare-associated infections, such as MRSA, a priority and we've put in place a range of measures which are driving infection rates down.

"MRSA screening is already used throughout Scotland but I have today accepted the expert group's recommendations to put in place national minimum requirements that will extend the scope of our existing approach."