HC Deb 20 April 2004 vol 420 cc413-4W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Nosocomial Infection National Surveillance Scheme, including its current remit and responsibilities. [165246]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The nosocomial infection national surveillance scheme was a voluntary reporting system for two types of data: hospital-acquired blood stream infection and surgical site infection. The first stopped in 2002, while the second continues as the surgical site infection surveillance service. Its remit is to help trusts use surveillance data to monitor and improve the quality of patient care.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the systematic review of how infection control guidelines are implemented in the NHS carried out by Thames Valley University. [165249]

Miss Melanie Johnson

Thames Valley University will update existing guidelines1 on preventing hospital-acquired infections later this year, but has not undertaken a systematic review of their implementation.

1 The epic project: developing national evidence-based guidelines for preventing healthcare association infections phase 1: guidelines for preventing hospital-acquired infections 2001 http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/07/73/68/04077368.PDF
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to neonatal intensive care units on the use of (a) broad spectrum antibiotics to prevent infections and (b) more targeted antibiotic approaches. [165242]

Miss Melanie Johnson

We have not issued specific guidance but the medicines management framework provides standards for the best use of all medicines in hospitals. This includes a recommendation that a lead pharmacist for anti-microbial prescribing is responsible for ensuring that appropriate policies are in place.

Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Care Standards Commission records incidences of MRSA in care homes. [165243]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The National Care Standards Commission did not have records of methicillin resistantStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections.