Reid: Welcoming progress

The government is claiming success in its onslaught against the MRSA superbug.

The comments come as official data reveals that the incidence of the killer virus is at its lowest level since 2001.

Labour has been accused of going soft on hospital cleanliness as a result of its drive to ensure maximum waiting times are met and waiting lists are reduced.

The Health Protection Agency has said the number of infections are down, although health secretary John Reid admitted that MRSA remains a problem for the NHS.

"MRSA remains a problem, we are taking action on it, and this action is having an effect," said Reid.

"But nothing today should take away from the hard work of NHS staff who have made and will continue to make the real difference through their focus on this medically and scientifically challenging problem.

"No stone is being left unturned in the battle against the superbug. We are improving cleaning standards, piloting the latest science, rolling out 'clean you rhands' and making sure infection control is a fully staffed priority for every NHS trust."

New push

The government has pledged new initiatives to step up the fight against the antibiotic-resistant bug, including a new rapid swab technique to identify patients coming into hospitals with MRSA within two hours rather than several days.

"These latest figures show MRSA rates at the lowest since mandatory recording began - something we introduced in 2001.

"I congratulate the hard work of NHS staff from cleaners to consultants, led by the chief nursing officer Chris Beasley, in achieving this important turning point.

"But there is still much more to do. That's why I am announcing today that the NHS will pilot a new rapid swab technique to identify patients with MRSA within hours rather than days."

"This will be particularly important in discovering if MRSA is coming into our hospitals with patients, for example, when they are transferred from care homes."

MRSA, which resulted in the death of Michael Howard's mother in law, has become a crucial issue ahead of the general election.

The Conservatives have put the issue of "cleaner hospitals" at the centre of their bid for government.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley has said that Labour is still failing to take the superbug seriously.

The Liberal Democrats also warned the government against claiming the tide had turned on MRSA.

"The information that is being published today is about the hospital as a whole," said party spokesman Paul Burstow.

"But doctors and nurses need to know where in the hospital the infection problems are."