§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what the cross-infection rate in hospitals is at the latest date for which the information is available; and what it was in each of the previous 10 years.
§ Mr. WhitneyThis information is not available. The 1981 Public Health Laboratory Service prevalence study of hospital acquired infection indicated that some 19.1 per cent. of patients surveyed in hospital were infected. About half of these infections had been acquired before entry to hospital.