HC Deb 28 January 2004 vol 417 c400W
Dr. Morrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether published figures for deaths from hospital acquired infection are approximate; what the margin of error is for these figures; and what measures have been taken to improve the data. [147506]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The widely quoted figure of 5,000 deaths being caused by hospital acquired infections (HAIs) is an extrapolation from estimates of deaths due to all HAIs in the United States in the 1980s1. Although it is difficult to compare data from different health systems, if rates in the United States were applicable to the United Kingdom then 5,000 deaths might be primarily attributable to health acquired infections.

Better UK estimates cannot be produced as there are no centrally held statistics on deaths caused by hospital acquired infections. 1 Haley et al (1985) The efficacy of infection surveillance and central programs in preventing nosocomial infections in US hospitals (SENIC). Amercican Journal of Epidemiology 121: 182–205