Health: Hospital-acquired Infection Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Roberts of Conwy
Main Page: Lord Roberts of Conwy (Conservative - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Roberts of Conwy's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(13 years, 10 months ago)
Lords ChamberMy Lords, we expect all provider trusts to have sufficient isolation units for those patients in whom an infection is identified. I am not quite sure whether this is what lay behind the noble Lord’s question, but there is no evidence to support a link between higher bed occupancy rates and higher rates of healthcare-associated infections. The number of beds occupied in a trust, in other words, should not have a bearing on the infection rate in that hospital.
My Lords, could the Minister confirm that the best hospitals actually test patients in advance of admission for MRSA, for example—as I personally was tested but yesterday at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital?