§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the cost to the NHS of hospital acquired infections in the last five years; what measures his Department is taking to tackle such infections and at what cost; and if he will make a statement. [116683]
§ Yvette CooperThe recently quoted figure of £1 billion is an estimate derived from a Department commissioned study of one hospital. It is not possible to accurately estimate the cost to the whole National Health Service from these findings. Infection control is a "must do" in current NHS National Priorities Guidance. New standards on infection control were issued in November 1999 and an action plan setting out specific objectives and targets was issued to the NHS on 11 February 2000. Costs of activity to prevent hospital acquired infections are impossible to assess because much of this activity is a fundamental part of the work of all health care staff.