|
|
 |
|
| |
Top e-government news, updated daily, and regular features from the top people in the public sector.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| Government makes MRSA pledge |
|
The Government is to produce a code of practice in a bid to stamp out hospital-acquired infections in the wake of baby Luke Day's death, it has emerged.
Luke was thought to be the youngest victim of killer superbug MRSA when he died aged just 36 hours in Ipswich Hospital on February 3 last year.
A subsequent in-depth hospital inquiry concluded that MRSA may not have caused his death, although it acknowledged the presence of the bug.
In the wake of the tragedy the East Anglian Daily Times launched a petition calling on the Government to do more to crackdown on the rising tide of MRSA cases.
That petition, which attracted more than 3,000 signatures from their readers, was sent to the Government - and they have now received a response.
In a three-page letter, Minister for State Andy Burnham MP pledged that the Government is doing all it can to reduce such infections through a variety of measures.
He wrote: “Luke Day's death was of course a terrible tragedy and I would like to send my deepest sympathies to the family.
“I can only imagine what the family have been through and I can understand why they and all [the EDT's] readers who signed the petition need to be assured that we are doing all we can to prevent such tragedies in the future.
“Unfortunately, not all healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) are preventable. However, I would like to assure [the EDT's] readers that we are committed to tackling HCAIs and preventing avoidable infections.
“This aim is supported by a wide-ranging programme, including a target to halve MRSA bloodstream infections by April 2008.”
Mr Burnham continued: “To support the Health Bill which is currently going through Parliament, a statutory code of practice on the prevention of healthcare associated infection is being produced.
“This will drive up standards of hygiene and infection control and will require NHS bodies to provide and maintain a clean environment.
“Specific provisions include a lead manager for cleaning and the production of a publicly available cleaning plan. It will also include a duty to provide information on HCAIs to patients and the public.”
Mr Burnham added that the Government has also launched a national drive to ensure hand hygiene standards in hospitals, meaning staff must “decontaminate their hands as soon as they are soiled and before they touch any patient regardless of whether or not they leave a ward.”
While routine screening of patients for MRSA and other HCAIs is not yet compulsory, selective screening of high-risk patients is in place.
The Department of Health is also working with the “most challenged trusts” to reduce infection rates, and it has issued national standards of cleanliness guidelines and a manual in a bid to ensure high cleaning standards in hospitals. |
|
|
|
