HOSPITAL staff have been told to make sure flowers are kept in clean water in a bid to reduce the risk of patients picking up infections.

But health bosses in East Lancashire have insisted they will not be following colleagues in southern England, who have banned floral gifts altogether.

From Monday, flowers delivered to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester will either be turned away or relatives will be asked to take them home.

But a spokesman for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We haven't banned flowers, but we do place an emphasis on keeping them in clean water."

Lynn Wissett, director of clinical care and governance said: "In terms of flowers on the ward, our assessment is that the infection risk of fresh flowers is minimal and has to be balanced against the therapeutic value of a patient receiving flowers.

"The way to minimise the risk of infection is to ensure that the water is changed regularly and we have put arrangements in place to make sure that this is the case."

Hospital superbugs MRSA and Clostridium difficile, or C. Dif., are transmitted via spores which can survive up to 70 days, lingering on worktops, floors, bedpans and toilets.

MRSA requires specialised bleach treatment of surfaces but overcoming C. Dif. is relatively straightforward, relying on old-fashioned cleanliness, plenty of hand-washing and the proper disposal of clinical waste.

Mild cases invoke stomach cramps and diarrhoea - more serious versions can cause victims to pass blood and mucous and suffer abdominal cramps. An erratic heartbeat is another symptom.

Latest figures for C. Dif. in the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals shows an upward trend for the bug. Cases across the trust have increased from around 50 cases per quarter to 88 by the end of 2006.

And recorded cases of major hospital bug, MRSA, rose from 56 in 2005 to 64 in 2006.

l Earlier this week Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust revealed it was considering a ban on Crocs shoes worn by nurses as they have affected vital equipment with static electricity.

But Lynn Wissett added: "Our uniform policy makes clear that staff should wear sensible footwear.

"Our biggest concern about Crocs type shoes is that due to the static generated by shoes made of this kind of material they can stick to the floor and cause staff to trip.

"However there are Croc type shoes that are made of a material that doesn't cause static to build up.

"These can be ordered through the Trust and when ordered via this route are appropriate for use by staff working in areas such as theatres and critical care."