Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon will today announce a £54m funding package to tackle hospital superbugs.

The money will be spent on improving hygiene standards within wards, with a pilot scheme which will see patients entering hospital screened for the deadly MRSA bug part of the package of measures.

The investment marks a three-fold increase in the amount which has been spent on tackling healthcare associated infections (HAIs) in the past three years and Ms Sturgeon said it sent out a message about how seriously the Scottish Government takes the issue.

She said: "I know that patients and the public, rightly, expect the highest standards. Confirmation that we are massively increasing the amount of investment demonstrates the vital importance the Scottish Government places on tackling hospital infections.

"The development of an MRSA screening programme demonstrates our determination to tackle one of the main sources of hospital infection."

The screening pilot will start next year, with a view to it being rolled out across the country in 2009.

Research has revealed nearly one in 10 patients in Scotland's acute hospitals pick up an infection during their stay, at a cost of £183m a year.

MRSA is one of the most common problems, accounting for an estimated one in six hospital infection cases.

Hospitals which check patients for the bug ahead of treatment and isolate carriers have reported good results.

The Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Clydebank, where the system is in place, has not had a single MRSA infection for two years.

NHS boards will also be set a target of demonstrating at least 90% hand hygiene compliance by this time next year.

The Health Secretary's announcement was welcomed by Labour.

Margaret Curran, the party's Shadow Health Secretary, said: "Labour made tackling hospital acquired infections a key priority in government and real progress was made.

"It is vital the SNP continue to prioritise this work and don't become complacent."

Meanwhile, a health chief yesterday called for a national debate on the future of the NHS. Professor Sir John Arbuthnott, chairman of Greater Glasgow Health Board, said the 60th anniversary of the service was the time to look at healthcare in the future.

He said: "People pay tax, and the fundamental basis of the NHS is that the delivery of that through taxation should be free at the point of delivery.

"That already is an over-simplification because we can't deliver our service in Greater Glasgow or anywhere else without fantastic co-operation between patients' families, their carers and volunteers."

Mr Arbuthnott said a debate would enable a discussion about what the health service's priorities should be.