MATRONS will be taking to the wards of Dorchester's flagship hospital as part of a new initiative to show that cleaning matters.

A raft of new initiatives have been introduced at Dorset County Hospital as part of the Cleaning Matters campaign to prevent and combat the spread of infections such as MRSA and c difficile.

And the new team of matrons will spearhead the scheme in an attempt to make sure that everyone in the hospital works together.

The role of matrons was reintroduced in the hospital in 2004, but the arrival of new uniforms and the introduction of a new 10 commitments charter means that the matrons are more visible to patients, visitors and staff.

Jaydee Swarbrick, matron on cardiology, said: "The majority have been in post since 2004 but the introduction of the matrons' charter and the uniforms means we are a more visible point of contact. The main aim of our job is to really focus on the quality of care offered to patients, whether that's quality of cleaning and infection control or dealing with complaints as they happen.

"We are a figurehead that is more recognisable to the public, staff nurses, cleaners, everyone, and we are all working to achieve the same standard."

Fellow matron Ann Little, who is also the hospital's privacy and dignity champion, said the new uniforms were already proving effective.

"One patient told me today, I knew you were a matron because of your uniform - we are just more distinctive now."

She said the 10 commitments laid out in the matrons' charter aimed to ensure the hospital is kept clean at all times, that staff are trained in infection control and that resources are made available at all times to ensure cleanliness standards are kept.

Anne Smith, the hospital's nurse consultant for infection prevention and control, said the new strategy goes beyond the matrons' charter with regular checks on cleanliness standards.

She said all departments were working hard with cleaners to keep standards up and that the hospital's sluices and bathrooms had also been refurbished.

But she said that patients and visitors had to do their bit - using hand gels posted at all entrances.