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05/12/2003
Government declares war on hospital 'superbugs'
The UK government have declared 'war' on hospital acquired infections in plans designed to crackdown on antibiotic resistant infections and so-called 'superbug' outbreaks.
Health Secretary John Reid today backed wide-ranging proposals from the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, which seek to revolutionise the way potential infections are dealt with in hospitals and other health care settings.
Sir Liam said the new plans would put preventing and reducing hospital infection rates and the main 'superbugs' at the "centre of a drive to put quality and patient safety at the heart of NHS care".
He said this problem was shared with other countries, but the UK was "determined to be up with the best in tackling it".
"This Action Plan will require commitment from everyone involved, and a philosophy that prevention is everybody's business, not just the specialists," said Sir Liam.
Proposals in the 'Winning Ways: Working together to reduce Healthcare Associated Infection in England' plan include:
Health Secretary John Reid said: "Preventing as many healthcare associated infections as possible is a top priority. That's why action is being taken now, across the NHS, to fight them. The greatest concern is, of course, the illness and death that result from these infections, but the economic costs are also high, and provide a compelling reason to reduce the number and severity of these infections."
He said that while such infections could never be entirely prevented, there was more that could be done to tackle to problem.
The NHS watchdog, the Commission for Health Audit and Inspection, will be asked to make infection control a key priority when assessing hospital performance.
The plan further calls for £3 million to be spent on research and development into hospital acquired infections.
It is estimated that 100,000 people a year pick up some form of infection while in hospital. The cost of hospital acquired infection is put at around £1 billion a year in the UK.
The Infection Control Nurses Association and the Hospital Infection Society have welcomed the initiative.
(SP)
Health Secretary John Reid today backed wide-ranging proposals from the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, which seek to revolutionise the way potential infections are dealt with in hospitals and other health care settings.
Sir Liam said the new plans would put preventing and reducing hospital infection rates and the main 'superbugs' at the "centre of a drive to put quality and patient safety at the heart of NHS care".
He said this problem was shared with other countries, but the UK was "determined to be up with the best in tackling it".
"This Action Plan will require commitment from everyone involved, and a philosophy that prevention is everybody's business, not just the specialists," said Sir Liam.
Proposals in the 'Winning Ways: Working together to reduce Healthcare Associated Infection in England' plan include:
- A Director of Infection Control for each NHS Trust;
- Trusts will get a dedicated Infection Control Team;
- A new system proven to cut food poisoning will be introduced;
- Staff will be required to follow techniques for cutting infection rates;
Health Secretary John Reid said: "Preventing as many healthcare associated infections as possible is a top priority. That's why action is being taken now, across the NHS, to fight them. The greatest concern is, of course, the illness and death that result from these infections, but the economic costs are also high, and provide a compelling reason to reduce the number and severity of these infections."
He said that while such infections could never be entirely prevented, there was more that could be done to tackle to problem.
The NHS watchdog, the Commission for Health Audit and Inspection, will be asked to make infection control a key priority when assessing hospital performance.
The plan further calls for £3 million to be spent on research and development into hospital acquired infections.
It is estimated that 100,000 people a year pick up some form of infection while in hospital. The cost of hospital acquired infection is put at around £1 billion a year in the UK.
The Infection Control Nurses Association and the Hospital Infection Society have welcomed the initiative.
(SP)
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14 July 2004
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The NHS has been criticised for not knowing the precise extent and cost of hospital acquired infections in an audit report published today.
War on superbugs blighted by NHS monitoring failures
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23 May 2012
Hospital Infections Falling But New 'Harder To Treat' Strains Appearing
Experts have warned that controlling hospital infections such as salmonella and E.coli must be a priority. There has been a drop in rates of the superbug MRSA and C. difficile, but other infections like E. coli appear to have taken their place, they say.
Hospital Infections Falling But New 'Harder To Treat' Strains Appearing
Experts have warned that controlling hospital infections such as salmonella and E.coli must be a priority. There has been a drop in rates of the superbug MRSA and C. difficile, but other infections like E. coli appear to have taken their place, they say.
22 March 2004
Children at greater risk of MRSA infection: report
Children in hospital are at a greater risk of succumbing to MRSA infection now than at any time in the past decade, according to a paper published in this week’s Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Children at greater risk of MRSA infection: report
Children in hospital are at a greater risk of succumbing to MRSA infection now than at any time in the past decade, according to a paper published in this week’s Archives of Disease in Childhood.
05 November 2004
Reid set target to cut MRSA blood infections by half
MRSA bloodstream infections in hospitals will be cut in half by 2008, the government has pledged today. Under the plans, NHS Acute Trusts will be tasked with achieving a year on year reduction up to and beyond March 2008.
Reid set target to cut MRSA blood infections by half
MRSA bloodstream infections in hospitals will be cut in half by 2008, the government has pledged today. Under the plans, NHS Acute Trusts will be tasked with achieving a year on year reduction up to and beyond March 2008.
19 October 2007
BMJ Warns Over Antibiotics
Antibiotics are not justified to reduce the risk of complications after upper respiratory tract infection, sore throat, or ear infection, finds a study published on bmj.com But they do substantially cut the risk of pneumonia after chest infection, particularly in elderly people.
BMJ Warns Over Antibiotics
Antibiotics are not justified to reduce the risk of complications after upper respiratory tract infection, sore throat, or ear infection, finds a study published on bmj.com But they do substantially cut the risk of pneumonia after chest infection, particularly in elderly people.
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