Single rooms are to be introduced in Northern Ireland hospitals in a bid to tackle superbugs, it was announced today.
A new acute hospital being built in Co Fermanagh will be the first to have single rooms for all appropriate patients.
Hospital refurbishments would also include single rooms wherever practical. The idea is among a package of measures, including restrictions on visitors, a rolling programme of unannounced hygiene inspections to all hospitals and a new dress code for all health care staff.
Stormont Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said an additional £9 million would be invested over the next three years in a bid to improve patient safety and reduce the spread of infections like MRSA and Clostridium difficile.
Just this week a local hospital trust in Northern Ireland admitted 16 patients had died C diff related deaths in the past six months.
It declared an official outbreak of C diff and set up a specialist ward in Antrim Hospital to treat patients after the number of cases a month nearly trebled.
Announcing the new measures Mr McGimpsey said the new Enniskillen Hospital would be the first of a new generation with single rooms instead of wards to improve hygiene. Where practical single room accommodation would be provided during future major refurbishments of other hospitals. The minister said: "Hospital acquired infections, such as MRSA and C difficile, are a major concern for the public. PA