DoH: Infections are top target
Wednesday, 07 May 2008 12:34
Reducing superbug infections in NHS hospitals is a "top priority" for the government, a Department of Health spokesperson has claimed.
The comment follows a report from UK researchers which warned that cases of a new superbug - named Steno - are rare but increasing.
The DoH spokesperson advised that Steno does not cause infections in healthy people but can cause infections in patients who are seriously ill with other conditions.
Outlining steps taken by the government to reduce hospital superbugs, the spokesperson added: "We have committed an investment of £270 million per year by 2010/11 to support infection prevention on top of the extra money that the NHS has already invested in better education and training, upgrading isolation facilities, new equipment and better surveillance.
"NHS staff have worked extremely hard to drive down the number of hospital acquired infections and the Healthcare Commission is now inspecting each and every acute trust against the Hygiene Code to ensure that all NHS organisations take appropriate precautions to protect patients."
