by Nisha Chopra

Hospital patients in Kent have drunk hand gel with an alcohol content of up to 78% more than a dozen times in the last five years, KentOnline can reveal.

The figures show there have been seven reported incidents at the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUFT) alone.

Kent and Medway NHS Foundation Trust (KMNFT) says patients swallowed the hand rub on five separate occasions.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust recorded three incidents, although two of these occurred when patients accidentally splashed themselves in the face.

On a third occasion, a patient drank the gel deliberately. It was consequently removed from their bedside.

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust were unable to provide information on the number of times alcohol rub had been ingested by patients.

EKHUFT's hospitals use a sanitising gel called Softalind – one of the strongest on the market, with an alcohol content of 78%.

The gel is said to kill 99.9% of germs including MRSA within 30 seconds.

KMNFT also uses hand rubs with an alcohol content of 78%, although Darent Valley Hospital uses a weaker concentrate at 62%.

All four trusts say they have taken measures to stop gels being consumed by patients, although it will remain at the end of patients' beds.

A spokesman for EKHUFT added: "Because of the potential risks of ingestion and splashes to eyes, alcohol hand rub has never been available at the front entrances of our hospitals, unless a member of staff is present."

The findings come after a Kent alcoholic was sentenced to 50 hours unpaid work by magistrates in Folkestone after downing four bottles of Softalind at Ashford's William Harvey Hospital and smashing the hospital chapel's donation box.