SIR – I would like to pick up on Phil Pegler’s letter on Friday, October 11, about use of hand gel.

There is consistently poor infection control by the majority of staff at Worcester Royal and I witnessed this first hand, if you pardon the pun.

My mother was an in-patient several times between April and November last year and very rarely did I see nursing or medical staff wash or gel their hands when attending. I used to offer them gloves, which didn’t go down to well, and this is the crux of the problem. If the hands-on staff can’t be bothered to use good practice then why should family, visitors, etc, be expected to understand how vital it is to prevent cross infection?

I have a nursing background and so does my daughter. We were horrified how few staff, even when my mum was being barrier nursed, seemed to not understand about using personal protective equipment.

They would wander in and out with no attempt to put aprons or gloves on, wash or gel their hands and again when they went out, taking all those nice germs to the next poor unsuspecting patient next door.

We were marked down as an annoying family, I would imagine, because when I walked in all the staff suddenly disappeared to often be found huddled in a cupboard.

I think Heather Gentry has a big struggle to eradicate this problem but she must start at the top and ensure all her senior staff are leading by example and being vigilant on all the staff on the ward.

Bring back matron – we used to shake when she came on the ward to check us. That discipline has now gone, unfortunately.

Yvonne Carter

Worcester