HC Deb 22 January 1996 vol 270 c102W
Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the hospitals, registered nursing homes and homes for the elderly that have suffered outbreaks of MRSA, indicating the severity of the outbreak with special reference to the number of victims and of deaths. [10592]

Mr. Richards

The epidemiology of MRSA is a complex Matter. Certain data are available on an England and Wales basis, but the Welsh element could be disaggregated only at disproportionate cost. MRSA is undoubtedly a rising problem. For this reason, last year, the Chief Medical Officer in the Welsh Office invited the Public Health Laboratory Service in Wales to undertake separate surveillance on MRSA in Wales.

Mr. Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will instruct NHS trust hospitals to publish information about the number of cases of(a) MRSA and (b) other infections in their annual report. [10593]

Mr. Richards

There are no plans to require NHS trusts to provide this information in their annual reports. However, details should be available from the Chief Executive of NHS trusts on request, since they have been asked to ensure that adequate infection control arrangements are in place within their hospitals.