HC Deb 26 January 2004 vol 417 cc184-5W
Dr. Murrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of patients with MRSA bacteraemia in NHS hospitals in England died of their infection in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what comparable figures his Department has collated regarding mortality in other countries. [147499]

Miss Melanie Johnson

Information on deaths from methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteraemias is not routinely available. Currently, mortality data can only be provided by enhanced surveillance or special studies. We do not have figures for other countries.

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which members of staff and at what level of seniority will be filling the new posts of directors of infection control; [144139]

(2) how the performance of the newly created directors of infection control will be managed; and by whom; [144140]

(3) whether it is his policy that existing consultant microbiologists or infection control nurses will be redeployed to the new posts of directors of infection control. [144141]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The director of infection prevention and control is not a new post but an extra responsibility for an existing senior health professional within every organisation providing national health service services. They willreport directly to the chief executive and the board and not through any other officer; have the authority to challenge inappropriate clinical hygiene practice as well as antibiotic prescribing decisions; assess the impact of all existing and new policies and plans on infection and make recommendations for change; and be an integral member of the organisation's clinical governance and patient safety teams and structures.

We would expect consultant microbiologists and infection control nurses to be among the healthcare professionals taking on this role but designation of the new director is a local decision. However, what is important is that the individuals concerned have the appropriate expertise and authority to act to reduce infection rates.

Strategic health authorities will monitor performance against the objectives of "Winning ways" and the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection will be asked to give priority to assessing NHS performance in reducing health care associated infection