LIVERPOOL patients and visitors will soon have to use hospital-style hand gels in GP practices and care homes to stop the spread of superbugs.

C. Difficile targets are currently being missed in the city, because of a large amount of “community acquired” infections, caught outside hospitals.

Most Merseyside hospitals are seeing a fall in the bug, but, from January to July this year there have been 98 cases caught in places like medical centres and nursing homes – 38 above the target.

Liverpool PCT has now launched an action plan to reduce infection.

Hand gels and spray disinfectants will be installed in GP practices and care homes, staff will receive more training and the prescription of antibiotics will be further controlled.

Patients who are suspected of having the bug will be isolated and staff will send a sample for testing immediately. Recording methods of cases will also be improved and premises “deep cleaned”, as hospitals were earlier this year.

Trish Bennett, director of service improvement for Liverpool PCT, said: “Reducing infection control within hospital and community settings is one of Liverpool PCT’s key priorities, and we have already made great strides to eliminate superbugs. Last year, Liverpool PCT invested almost £2m to kick-start a series of effective measure that aimed to reduce infections in hospital and community settings.”