§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many MRSA patients were recorded in NHS hospitals in each of the last eight years; how many and what proportion of NHS hospitals recorded MRSA outbreaks; and how many and what proportion of NHS hospitals have full-time staff dedicated to the prevention and control of MRSA and related infections. [86683]
§ Mr. Lammy[holding answer 12 December 2002]: These data are not collected centrally and I refer the hon. Member to the reply he received on 14 October 2002, Official Report column 521W. This provides the available data on methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections until April 2001 when mandatory MRSA bacteraemia surveillance
792Wconsults on whether a scan is clinically necessary, in cases where patients are referred by a general practitioner. [87232]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 16 December 2002]: Decisions on the clinical necessity for duplex scans are made by clinicians at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust, not Kent and Medway Strategic Health Authority. The strategic health authority, as part of its management function, advised me on the practice at the trust in respect of duplex scans.