A health boss has appealed for everyone to play their part in the battle against the Clostridium difficile (C-diff) superbug.

Mike Gogarty, director of health at North East Essex Primary Care Trust, said GPs, patients and their families and hospital staff can all help to prevent outbreaks.

C-diff is a bacteria which is commonly found in both healthy and ill people's intestines.

When people are healthy and not taking antibiotics, good bacteria keep the C-diff under control.

However, antibiotics reduce the levels of good bacteria and if the C-diff is not killed by the antibiotic, it is possible for it to overpopulate the intestine or colon.

This can lead to chronic diarrhoea., which can prove fatal Mr Gogarty said reducing the amount of antibiotics being prescribed could help, along with the obvious factor of cleanliness.

"The public has a crucial role to play," he continued.

"Patients should be questioning why their GPs are giving them antibiotics - it is about managing use.

"Families need to ensure they do not spread the infection if they visit a patient.

"Clacton District Hospital is a good, safe, clean hospital, but people need to wash their hands and should be happy to ask staff if they have done it."