Lansley on hospital acquired infections

Andrew Lansley has attacked Labour for failing to tackle hospital overcrowding after new analysis showed a strong link between overcrowded wards and the spread of deadly hospital infections.

The independent research by the House of Commons library revealed that NHS Trusts with a bed occupancy rate above the recommend level had an 18 per cent higher rate of C-difficile and a 21 per cent higher rate of MRSA.

Andrew, the Shadow Health Secretary, said, “Far too many patients are catching infections like MRSA as a result of having to share overcrowded wards.”

And he attacked the Government for denying there was a link between MRSA rates and high rates of bed occupancy in England:

“The Government urgently needs to stop burying their heads in the sand and take action. The price patients and their families in this country are paying because of their failure is far too great”.

Andrew promised that a Conservative Government would tackle overcrowding by providing 8,000 more single rooms across the NHS to ensure that infected patients can be isolated.