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, 2 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?