§ 31. Mr. Braineasked the Minister of Health what action he is taking with regard to the report of the operational research team of the Nuffield Provincial Hospitals' Trust, for whom he provided facilities, which revealed that the sterilising techniques employed in the six hospitals covered by the team's inquiry 108W were inadequate and that this is contributing to the present high incidence of hospital infection; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThe report has been widely publicised and is by now well known to hospital authorities. In addition, the attention of the senior administrative medical officers of regional hospital boards has been specifically drawn to it; and in allocating sums to those boards for their revenue expenditure in 1959–60 I have asked them to have regard to the report in determining their expenditure. I shall similarly draw the attention of boards of governors of teaching hospitals to this matter within the next few days.