HC Deb 28 January 2003 vol 398 cc807-8W
Chris Grayling

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work Strategic Health Authorities are undertaking to assess healthcare acquired infection data from local trusts; and if he will make a statement. [91466]

Ms Blears

The Commission for Health Improvement has recently announced two performance indicators for acute and specialist trusts for 2003, which relate to healthcare associated infections.

One performance indicator concerns infection control procedures and the other is an improvement score for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. Both indicators are based on healthcare associated infection data provided by acute national health service hospital trusts. Strategic health authorities will be using these indicators to manage the performance of their trusts in the future.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring his Department has undertaken on the availability of sufficient hand basins for effective infection control procedures in NHS hospitals. [91126]

Ms Blears

The design of new facilities is monitored by NHS Estates via the business case approvals process to ensure that proposals conform to design guidance issued by NHS Estates. This includes recommendations on the number of wash-hand basins for specific situations

Trust chief executives are responsible for ensuring that there are effective arrangements in place for infection control. Monitoring of facilities for infection control, including provision of wash-hand basins within existing buildings, is undertaken by their infection control team.