Four Seasons Health Care, which has four homes across Hartlepool, has installed alcohol hand gel dispensers as part of a campaign to improve hand hygiene among staff and visitors.

It will be used after staff wash their hands in the normal way and aims to reduce the risk of patients picking up infections like MRSA.

The Soft Care Med Alcohol Gel will be used at Warrior Park in Seaton Carew, Manor Park, Admiral Court and West View Lodge Care homes after being selected by a Four Seasons Care review group.

A spokesman for Four Seasons Health Care said: "When alcohol hand gels are used with good hand-washing practice they play a key role in reducing health acquired infections as proved by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence."

The gel is said to be a highly-effective disinfectant against most skin micro organisms including MRSA and other viruses, bacteria and fungi.

However, it does not kill the C.Difficile bug which is more resilient to disinfection.

Dispensers have been installed around each care home.

Posters next to them also encourage staff and visitors to stop and clean their hands.

The move has been welcomed by care home staff to help reduce the risk of cross infection.

Linda Hutchinson, Warrior Park Care Home manager, said: "Anything that helps cut down in the risk of infections is worthwhile."

The Four Seasons spokesman added: "Alcohol gels are not a replacement for good hand washing and staff are reminded to wash their hands before and after each care and work procedure before using the alcohol hand gel."