MRSA Action UK: Post-election view as Labour health ministers lose their place in parliament
The general election has unseated the Health Secretary Andy Burnham’s team. We are now faced with the uncertainty of a hung parliament and the Department of Health is likely to undergo a major overhaul after only Mr Burnham held onto his parliamentary seat. Ministers Mike O’Brien, Phil Hope, Ann Keen and Gillian Merron all suffered defeat at the polls, losing out to Conservative candidates on each occasion.
The Conservative shadow health team led by Andrew Lansley will all return to Westminster, as will Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb. The people have decided and MRSA Action UK will continue dialogue with our parliamentary colleagues in health from all parties. Both Norman Lamb and Andrew Lansley have attended the annual tribute held at Westminster Abbey to remember the thousands who lose their lives to healthcare associated infections every year.
All three parties have addressed the issue of hospital hygiene and patient safety in their election manifestos with Labour and the Conservatives offering practical solutions, the Liberal Democrats have attempted to tackle the issue systemically by citing a commitment to ensuring patient safety, whilst not explicitly outlining a solution for dealing with healthcare associated infections. The Liberal Democrats would enforce transparency which would see hospitals being open about any mistake made.
Both Labour and the Conservatives are proponents of tying payments to health boards and GP surgeries with tangible results. To reduce the incidence of healthcare associated infections, the Conservatives plan to increase the number of single rooms, stop mixed sex accommodation and refuse to pay the healthcare provider in full if the patient has been left with avoidable infections.
Labour will establish mandatory national standards of infection control which will rise every year and having to be met by all healthcare providers. The safety regulator will have the power to close wards, impose fines or order cleaning.
This is a crucial time for everyone involved in healthcare with consultations underway on how to set about addressing the huge disparity in performance on reducing Clostridium difficile around the country, the North West remains the worst region for addressing the issue in terms of the high numbers of people who succumb to the infection. Broadening the Health Act 2008 to encompass regulation outside of hospital will also prove a challenge with the consultation currently under way within the health economy. This work must continue for these important issues to be addressed, and investment in preventing avoidable infections must remain a top health priority whoever steps into No.10 Downing Street. With a massive financial deficit to address we appeal to the party leaders not to cut investment in this area, and that frontline resources in invested in to avoid the mistakes in preventing healthcare infections that have occurred in the past.
Derek Butler
Chair
MRSA Action UK
07762 741114
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