RESEARCHERS in Glasgow have been given a record £4.2 million to improve techniques to prevent and control 'superbugs' including Clostridium Difficile.

The research will be led by the University of Glasgow, working with other Scottish Universities including Glasgow Caledonian and Strathclyde.

It is the largest, ever, single investment into research into healthcare-associated infections.

Cases of C.Diff and MRSA fell in 2014 to among their lowest levels on record.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said the investment was about taking the "next step" to reduce infections further, as she toured labs at the University of Glasgow.

The money will also be used to help tackle new and emerging healthcare-associated infections and identify 'at risk' patients.

Researchers will be tasked with developing new interventions to prevent the spread of infection and developing ways to use existing antibiotics more effectively.

In November last year, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde was heavily criticised by an inquiry into the country's worst C.diff outbreak.

The probe, led by Lord MacLean, looked into care at Dunbartonshire's Vale of Leven Hospital between 2007 and 2008.

Of the 143 patients with C. diff, it was a contributory factor in 34 deaths.

Lord MacLean said NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) had "badly let down" patients. The health board apologised unreservedly for a "terrible failure".

Since 2007, cases of C.Diff have fallen by 81% in the 65 years and over age group and cases of MRSA have reduced by 88%.

The consortium of researchers will be led by Professor Alistair Leanord, Director, of the Scottish Infection Research Network, at the University of Glasgow.

He said: "Finding new ways of caring for and treating patients is at the centre of this research.

"We are going to develop ways of using data more effectively, allowing us to identify high risk patients requiring intensive management, improve our understanding of the bugs by using new genome technology, and use this information to design new treatments, ways of working and how best to use antibiotics to treat and prevent the spread of healthcare associated infection within the NHS."

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: "We are committed in our drive to tackling and reducing the spread of healthcare-associated infections.

"In recent years, we have made significant progress in making our hospitals safer - with cases of C.Diff and MRSA falling in 2014 to among their lowest levels on record.

"This significant investment towards research in this area will allow us to take the next step in our fight to bring down infection levels even further."

Over the next five years, from April, the Scottish Healthcare Associated Infection Prevention Institute will establish a virtual hub in which 19 co-investigators will work together with health boards to look at new ways of dealing with the challenge of antimicrobial resistance and emerging HAIs.