Take every precaution to stop the spread of winter vomiting and diarrhoea
December 4th, 2009
Trafford hospital bosses are reminding patients, staff and visitors to be extra careful to reduce the spread of the Norovirus.
Sometimes known as Winter Vomiting disease the virus has been circulating in the community and could cause health risks to patients if it is brought into hospitals. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and or diarrhoea and the onset can be extremely sudden.
Norovirus is usually short-lived and the majority of people, even the frail elderly, will recover in 12 to 60 hours without treatment other than rest and taking drinks to replace lost fluids.
However, it is highly infectious and deeply unpleasant and spreads rapidly when introduced to close-knit communities such as hospitals, residential care homes, schools and work places.
Anyone suffering symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea should not attend Accident and Emergency to minimise the spreads of the infections.
Hospital bosses say that people with the winter vomiting bug should not visit friends or relatives in hospitals until they have fully recovered and been free of symptoms for at least 48 hours. They are also reminding people to wash their hands with soap and water before entering and when leaving any hospital ward.
Shirley Smith, Deputy Director of Nursing and Facilities at Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust which runs Trafford General, Altrincham General and Stretford Memorial hospitals said: “It is extremely important that visitors to our hospitals take every precaution to prevent the spread of this unpleasant virus.
“It’s natural for people to want to visit family and friends who are in hospital, but if you have had any symptoms of nausea, diarrhoea or vomiting in the last 48 hours, then you could unwittingly pass it on to other hospital patients. Visitors should not come to the hospital until they have been free of all symptoms for at least 48 hours.”
Ends
Contact:
Daniel Cochlin, Communications Officer, 0161 746 2934 or daniel.cochlin@trafford.nhs.uk
Notes to Editors
1. Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust was rated Medium-Sized Hospital Trust of the Year in the Dr Foster Hospital Guide 2009 and was one of just 14 trusts in England to be placed in the top-performing band for patient safety.
2. It is an acute trust providing district general hospital services at Trafford General Hospital, Altrincham General Hospital and Stretford Memorial Hospital, as well as in the community. It has around 330 inpatient beds at Trafford General Hospital.
3. The Trust performed well in the Healthcare Commission’s 2008 national inpatient survey, published in May 2009. Ninety-one per cent of inpatients at Trafford General rated the quality of care as ‘excellent’, ‘very good’ or ‘good’ and 95 per cent were satisfied with the cleanliness of their ward or room.
4. The Trust has been rated Level 2 by the NHS Litigation Authority in recognition of the fact it provides high-quality care and has safe systems in place.
