InTheNews.co.uk
Breaking News:
Your source for news

Health Story

 21 August 2008 21:35 BST

Cameron demands C.diff action

Wednesday, 17 Oct 2007 14:45
David Cameron has blamed government targets for superbug infections in British hospitals

Health In Focus 

David Cameron has called on Gordon Brown to do more to tackle the issue of Clostridium difficile infections at hospitals.

Speaking at prime minister's questions this afternoon, the Conservative leader highlighted a recent Healthcare Commission report which revealed significant failings in infection control within the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

The infection in Kent led to the deaths of 90 patients from the hospital 'superbug' and resulted in the former chief executive of the local NHS Trust having her severance pay withheld.

Mr Cameron said the government's "top-down targets [were] contributing to this problem" because senior management were reluctant to implement clinical practices because they were under pressure to meet them.

But the prime minister promised there would be a "deep clean" of hospitals to combat the problem of C.diff and superbugs such as MRSA.

Mr Brown pledged there would soon be "very special measures" introduced, including isolation wards being set up and 3,000 matrons being recruited.

He added that £100 million had already been earmarked to fight superbug infections and denied that targets were to blame.

"Targets are an inevitable feature of a modern healthcare system," he said adding that they cannot be used as an excuse.

"In other words it is not targets that are to blame."

Mr Cameron accused Mr Brown of not listening to those working in the NHS and brought up a former nurse of the year who resigned today.

Specialist clinical nurse Justine Whitaker was awarded the accolade just months ago but says she is now "ground down" by the "constant pressures of bureaucracy".

But Mr Brown was adamant that the solution to problems in the healthcare system was down to "investment and reform", which he insisted the government was party to.

The Labour leader revealed last month that each hospital would be cleaned to ensure they are in the state they were in when they were first opened.

Stringent assessment measures are in place to monitor the efforts of healthcare trusts to target infection, but Mr Brown said the clean would help to tackle "ingrained" problems.End of story


More health news... 

Also In The News 

© 2008 Advertise | Privacy | Terms of Use