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Wednesday, 24 April 2024

Saturday, 26 March 2005 10:17

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NHS may get safety syringes

According to health service union’s safety syringes may be introduced for all medical staff across Scotland after a landmark legal ruling.

The syringes where introduced five years ago but where rejected because of the cost now Andy Kerr, the health minister has ordered a review of the legal ruling that said the equipment’s introduction could not be rejected on cost grounds alone.

The health union Unison claim that needle stick injuries cost the NHS in Scotland around £5.5 million a year in follow-up tests and compensation, with more than 20,000 health service staffs accidentally pricked by syringes each year.

Unison official Jim Devine said: "Every health board in Scotland will have to take on board the implications of this decision, which is that they have to discard the old-style needles and introduce safety needles throughout the health service”.

Mr Andy Kerr has ordered a review to determine where it might be appropriate to introduce safety syringes.

Mr Kerr said that the retractable needles used in some of the pilot projects had apparently not worked very well.

However, he said there were certain locations where their introduction needed to be considered.

"I want to get a review of this to ensure that we are protecting our staff, which is absolutely vital for me.

"We want to respond to their concerns but also ensure that we continue with good clinical services as well”.