AN innovative health scheme, devised by a nursing sister, seems to have eradicated an infection affecting patients.

Sylvia Wilson, the sister of ward 32 at Middlesbrough General Hospital, came up with the idea of using colour-coded aprons after completing a course on combating hospital acquired infection (HAI) at Teesside University.

With the widespread publicity attracted by the condition, she was anxious to reassure her own patients on the 33-bed orthopaedic ward, which deals with hip and knee replacements, that they were safe.

To reduce the chances of infection, Sister Wilson has introduced white aprons for basic care, red aprons for caring with patients with an infection and green aprons for handling food, and placed them outside each bay and side ward.

She has also bought new trolleys for dressings, enabling each bay and side ward to have its own, and provided individual hand washing facilities for staff, patients and visitors.

Now everyone who enters the ward, from consultants to visitors, must observe the clearly advertised precautions.

Since they were introduced in March, the hospital has had no cases of HAI.

Sister Wilson attributes this to the new system. "It's known that there is a risk of HAI and that it's important to keep it to a minimum," she said.

"Since I started on the ward in November there have been two cases, which both came from outside, but we haven't had a single case since March. I feel that we have made a big difference in combating the problem."

While a handful of other hospitals nationwide are thought to have introduced similar measures, Sister Wilson believes her ward is the first on Teesside to adopt colour-coded aprons.

Now, other wards at Middlesbrough General are following suit. "We have a sisters' meeting once a month and it has been decided that we all follow the same system," she said.

"We have a fast turnover of patients on the ward and wherever we work, there is a potential risk of infection, but now the public has no need to feel uneasy."