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| New cleaners to blitz dirty wards | New cleaners to blitz dirty wards |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A total of 600 extra cleaners are to be employed in Scotland's hospitals to tackle infections on the wards. | A total of 600 extra cleaners are to be employed in Scotland's hospitals to tackle infections on the wards. |
| The move was announced by Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon on the first day of the SNP spring conference. | The move was announced by Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon on the first day of the SNP spring conference. |
| The two-day gathering in Glasgow, which comes as the party celebrates its 75th anniversary, will also focus on skills to tackle the recession. | The two-day gathering in Glasgow, which comes as the party celebrates its 75th anniversary, will also focus on skills to tackle the recession. |
| Ahead of the conference, senior party figures will attend the funeral of SNP veteran Sir Neil MacCormick. | Ahead of the conference, senior party figures will attend the funeral of SNP veteran Sir Neil MacCormick. |
| The former Nationalist MEP and long-serving law professor recently died from cancer at the age of 67. | The former Nationalist MEP and long-serving law professor recently died from cancer at the age of 67. |
| We have an obligation to provide the highest standard of cleanliness Nicola Sturgeon | We have an obligation to provide the highest standard of cleanliness Nicola Sturgeon |
| Delegates will open the conference with a minute silence in tribute to Sir Neil, as well as the late Nationalist MSP Bashir Ahmad - Holyrood's first Scots-Asian politician - who died in February at the age of 68. | Delegates will open the conference with a minute silence in tribute to Sir Neil, as well as the late Nationalist MSP Bashir Ahmad - Holyrood's first Scots-Asian politician - who died in February at the age of 68. |
| In her keynote speech to members of the party faithful, Ms Sturgeon, also Scotland's deputy first minister, will outline the recruitment of hundreds of full and part-time cleaners across Scotland - employed directly by the NHS, rather than contractors. | In her keynote speech to members of the party faithful, Ms Sturgeon, also Scotland's deputy first minister, will outline the recruitment of hundreds of full and part-time cleaners across Scotland - employed directly by the NHS, rather than contractors. |
| She told BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "These jobs will make a big difference. | She told BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "These jobs will make a big difference. |
| "We are already seeing progress in hospitals with infections coming down but I think we can do much more. | "We are already seeing progress in hospitals with infections coming down but I think we can do much more. |
| "These extra cleaners, costing £5m a year, will help a great deal." | "These extra cleaners, costing £5m a year, will help a great deal." |
| Other measures | Other measures |
| Ms Sturgeon said each NHS board would be given an allocation of cleaners and said that in the case of Greater Glasgow and Clyde this amounted to 170 extra staff. | Ms Sturgeon said each NHS board would be given an allocation of cleaners and said that in the case of Greater Glasgow and Clyde this amounted to 170 extra staff. |
| "I know from speaking to patients and their families that standards of hygiene and cleanliness are very important. | "I know from speaking to patients and their families that standards of hygiene and cleanliness are very important. |
| "We have an obligation to provide the highest standard of cleanliness." | "We have an obligation to provide the highest standard of cleanliness." |
| She added that the investment would provide a much-needed jobs boost during tough economic times. | She added that the investment would provide a much-needed jobs boost during tough economic times. |
| Ms Sturgeon will tell the conference she intends to go further on hospital cleanliness in the wake of earlier announcements, which included a hospital standards inspectorate and a ban on the further privatisation of hospital cleaning contracts. | Ms Sturgeon will tell the conference she intends to go further on hospital cleanliness in the wake of earlier announcements, which included a hospital standards inspectorate and a ban on the further privatisation of hospital cleaning contracts. |
| "Nothing is more important to me personally than driving down the rates of infection in our hospitals," said Ms Sturgeon. | "Nothing is more important to me personally than driving down the rates of infection in our hospitals," said Ms Sturgeon. |
| "Hospital infections cause pain, distress and suffering for patients and their families. And they undermine confidence in our NHS. | "Hospital infections cause pain, distress and suffering for patients and their families. And they undermine confidence in our NHS. |
| "That is why beating them is a battle I am determined to win." | "That is why beating them is a battle I am determined to win." |