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:

• 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;

In addition there will be minimal use of some procedures that are most likely to produce infection, such as catheters and intravenous drips.

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)