§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the new proposals on death certification will affect the recording of deaths involving MRSA. [162217]
§ Ruth KellyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr. Paul Burstow, dated 22 March 2004:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how the new proposals on death certification will affect the recording of deaths involving MRSA. I am replying in his absence.The proposal to reform the coroner and death certification service is likely to improve information about MRSA infection at or shortly before death in a number of ways:The emphasis on improved training for doctors in how to complete death certificates and the scrutiny of all certificates by specially trained medical examiners will improve the quality and completeness of information collected.The ability to link fact and cause of death to laboratory or patient records of infection will make it possible to determine how many people die following a diagnosis of invasive MRSA infection.Specific research studies would still be needed to determine how much MRSA, or other health care associated infections, contribute to the likelihood of dying amongst patients with the same underlying illness and treatment.