The figures, which were revealed in the second audit report prepared by Health Protection Scotland, show that compliance has risen from 68 per cent in February 2007 to 87 per cent in February 2008. 

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon said the figures show that Scotland’s Health Boards are making “huge strides” towards the target of 90 per cent compliance by November this year. 

She said: "Good hand hygiene is widely acknowledged as being one of the most important ways of preventing avoidable Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI). 

"This second audit report shows NHS boards right across Scotland are making huge strides towards reaching the target and I want to applaud the efforts of all NHS staff in reaching this milestone.” 

However, she went on to say that while the rate of progress is encouraging, she warned that boards should not become complacent.  

"It is not just about reaching the target of at least 90 percent hand hygiene by November 2008, but also about sustaining and improving on this level of compliance year-on-year.   

"Ultimately, NHS Boards should be setting the highest standards possible - not just in hand-washing, but in the standard of hospital cleanliness - so the public can be confident we are doing all we can to keep our hospitals free from infection.” 

Sturgeon said that the hand hygiene targets were part of a range of measures for tackling HAI, including the HAI Delivery Plan and MRSA screening programme that will be backed by an investment of £54m over the next three years, and added that she wants to see “considerable progress” made by NHS boards in driving down rates of HAI.