David Burrowes MP

Conservative Party | Enfield Southgate

David Burrowes condemns 'shocking' superbug figures

David Burrowes MP believes that we must say enough is enough to dirty hospitals and spreading ‘superbugs’.

David’s statements emerge alongside figures revealed by the Shadow Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley who said: “The number of people dying from hospital superbugs is almost three times the number killed in road accidents.”

He was commenting on official figures which show that deaths from Clostridium difficile increased by 72 per cent in 2006, Infection rates have quadrupled since 1997.  There were 6,000 cases of MRSA and 56,000 cases of Clostridium difficile infections in England in the past year (Health Protection Agency, 30 January 2008).

The number of people killed by both MRSA and Clostridium difficile in England and Wales has increased by nearly six times since 1997.

In 2006, there were 8,132 deaths in total, compared with 389 from MRSA in 1997 and 975 from Clostridium difficile in 1999.

David Burrowes has said “I am frustrated that despite Government rhetoric, the NHS system is not given the freedom it needs to develop patient centred approaches to healthcare that will be the most effective in providing cleaner, more efficient hospital environments.”

He continued: “In the case of Enfield, Government plans have left us battling to even keep all of our NHS services opened, let alone running as effectively as they could be with less top heavy management. Keeping C-Difficile out of hospitals could be achieved much better with some simple steps being made towards a less restrictive management of hospital services.”

Further comments were made by Mr Lansley who stated: "The overall scale of infection is unacceptable and the need for a comprehensive infection control strategy, including improved anti-biotic prescribing and access to isolation facilities, hand hygiene and cleanliness is paramount.

"There has been a fifty-fold increase in C-diff infections since 1990. An expert told the Department of Health last week that it was the Government's failure to implement guidelines since as far back as 1994 that has contributed to the recent rise.

"Yesterday, I visited the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust. Their experience showed in the past how C-diff can get out of control if management focus is on other Government targets and objectives. Their example now demonstrates what can be achieved if patient safety becomes the real priority."