§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the public health laboratory service estimate of the rate of cross-infections amongst in-patients in each year from 1979.
§ Mrs. CurrieInformation on cross-infections is not available on an annual basis. The 1981 public health laboratory service prevalence study of hospital acquired infection indicated that some 19.1 per cent. of patients surveyed in hospital had infections. About half these infections had been acquired before entry to hospital. There is no reason to suppose there has been a major change since 1981.