Patient complaints about the lack of hygiene at Swindon's hospital are coming in thick and fast.

Margaret Greenwood, the patient representative of Wanborough Surgery, said she has received a surge of complaints from Great Western Hospital patients.

She said that while operations and surgeons were on the whole faultless, criticism stemmed from a lack of aftercare and poor hygiene.

Mrs Greenwood, a former teacher, who also represents patients from Liddington, Bishopstone and Hinton Parva, said: "I'm getting more and more phone calls. I receive about three a fortnight, compared to about one a month just six months ago. But there's not a lot I can do.

"People are advised to complain at the time but when you're in hospital you're usually at your lowest ebb. They would like to complain more but don't have the energy."

Mrs Greenwood, 62, said a former nurse friend of hers recently stayed in the GWH as a patient and was upset by what she saw.

"She witnessed a lack of basic care. She said when nurses make up beds they don't talk to patients or accompany them to the bathroom.

"She also noticed nurses don't wash their hands between treating patients and has seen nurses in their uniforms doing their shopping, which all can spread germs.

"If patients need to go back in to hospital sometimes they don't want to complain for fear of retribution.

"The question is how this can be changed. I am urging people to question nurses if they feel they haven't washed their hands.

"I'm aware for every complaint there must be lots of people who are happy but that doesn't mean we can ignore the ones who aren't.

"My husband Bryan went in as a day patient for a cataract operation and was treated fantastically."

Mrs Greenwood added: "I'm appalled to learn the hospital doesn't have a laundry service and nurses take home their uniforms to wash."

Chris Birdsall, the hospital spokesman, said: "If somebody is unhappy with the service we provide it's vital they tell us. Complaints and comments are an essential way of helping us improve. People must not feel there will be retribution.

"To minimise the risk of infection, clothing worn during patient contact should only be worn outside the workplace where employees are required to work off site, or when travelling directly to and from home.

"It is the workers' responsibility to ensure patients and the public are not put at risk of infection through wearing uniforms in public places.

"Laundering uniforms at home is acceptable providing they are laundered separately and at the highest temperature. Arrangements should be made for grossly contaminated uniforms to be laundered in the Central Laundry.

"Statistics show our MRSA rates are lower than average for the region but we are not complacent."

MRSA, or Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, cannot be killed off by antibiotics.

According to estimates, up to 5,000 people a year die after contracting the bug in hospital. Poor hygiene is seen as the cause of the spread.

Mrs Greenwood may be contacted through Wanborough Surgery, in Ham Road.

Alex Emery