Government Strategy on Superbugs Failing

4.19.52pm GMT Fri 23rd Feb 2007

Commenting on statistics released from the Office of National Statistics showing deaths involving hospital superbugs MRSA and Clostridium difficile are still on the rise, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb MP said:

"This extraordinary rise in cases of MRSA is evidence that the Government's strategy to deal with superbugs is failing.

"We are in the dark over what is actually happening, with contradictory figures pointing in totally different directions. The Government's drive to cut waiting times at all costs conflicts with what should be an absolute priority of cutting infection rates.

"The simple truth is in hospitals where targets dictate where patients are kept and beds are filled to bursting point, nurses are not able to isolate patients and clean wards in order to beat the bugs.

"There must be an urgent reassessment of the reporting procedure for hospital acquired infections. Some death certificates are still failing to document where an infection led to a patient's death.

"An urgent investigation into the connection between high levels of antibiotic use and rates of hospital acquired infections is needed as well as a closer look at emerging technologies from other countries with low levels of MRSA."