ONCE again Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital services are crippled by the latest ‘bug’ Norovirus, resulting in the cancellation of routine operations causing anxiety to patients waiting for surgery.

I can say as a staff member that most staff and visitors that I have observed have been very conscientious with hand washing , we also have good infection control team,but this is clearly is not enough.

The Alex desperately needs an isolation ward with a specialised ventilation system with cubicles within a ward, so that barrier nursing can be carried out effectively. All hospitals had an isolation ward in the good old days and I certainly did not see wards closed due to infections then.

Incidentally, why is it that the nursing staff and other health workers have to launder their own uniforms? In days gone by, hospitals were responsible for laundering staff uniforms and the uniforms were washed at a hot temperature.

I certainly don't like having to wash my family's clothing in the same machine as my germ ridden uniforms, also though I never wear my uniform outside of the hospital. They still have to be transported home which I think is very poor practice, especially if you are working on a ward stricken with the latest ‘bug’.

Instead of blaming staff and visitors perhaps it is time that Worcestershire Acute Trust invested some money in addressing these issues.

I realise that a section of a ward is currently being developed as an isolation bay, but what is needed is a proper isolation unit is which is staffed by nurses specially trained in isolation nursing.

Perhaps they could use the proceeds of the money that our patients have to pay on parking. They are certainly paying enough!

Disheartened nurse, Bromsgrove