HEALTH bosses have slashed the number of cases of the superbug, MRSA, at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Figures show the number of infections in the hospital, between April 2004 and March 2005, fell by more than a quarter, compared to the same period the year before.

From 2003 to 2004 there were 38 MRSA blood infections, but in the 12 months to the end of March this year there were just 28.

The hospital has a target of reducing the number of MRSA blood infections it deals with in a year to 16 by the end of March, 2008.

Julie Dziobon, specialist infection control nurse at the Royal Bolton Hospital said: "We really don't have far to go because we have achieved so much and done so well.

"We've launched the 'Clean your hands' campaign and we are carrying out a a lot of education for staff.

"If someone tests positive for MRSA then infection control nurses go and examine them immediately to look at the risk factors and try to reduce them."

"We're really pleased with these results, but we certainly won't become complacent and we will make sure we keep going in the right direction."

The North-west has the third lowest MRSA infection rate out of the nine health regions in the country.