Patients should check staff have washed their hands

Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust's Infection Control event will outline hygiene measures in its buildings.

In December, a government report named John Radcliffe as one of 24 hospitals with "poor" cleanliness standards.

The National Audit Office estimates so-called superbugs like MRSA kill as many as 5,000 people each year.

The important thing is to prevent organisms spreading to other patients, and prevent serious infections such as bloodstream infection - which is where the bacteria can really do the harm Kathy Topley, Senior Infection Control nurse

Julie Hartley-Jones, the trust's chief nurse and director of Infection Prevention and Control, said: "This event presents an excellent opportunity to explain the realities and explode some of the myths around hospital infections.

"We hope to be able to increase patient confidence in their local hospitals so they are not concerned about coming in for treatment because of fears about MRSA or other healthcare associated infections."

"We are a major specialist centre, with cardiology, radiology and renal units, where very ill patients are admitted who may already have MRSA living relatively harmlessly on their skin before they arrive," explained Kathy Topley, Senior Infection Control nurse.

"The important thing is to prevent this and any other organisms spreading to other patients, and prevent serious infections such as bloodstream infection - which is where the bacteria can really do the harm."

Since 7 February, the trust has been running roadshows on all four of its sites to raise awareness about cleanliness issues.

The move is in line with the government's on-going hospital hygiene campaign, launched in 2001.

The meeting is being held from 1900 to 2030 GMT at The Oxford Centre, Banbury Road, Oxford.