MRSA Action UK: Will this be a new optimism? On tackling Healthcare Infections
MRSA Action UK would like to congratulate David Cameron on his election to No.10 Downing Street. The election campaign left no political party with overall control in the House of Commons, and we know that with the economic situation in the country some very tough decisions are going to have to be made on public spending. There is new optimism in the country that this new coalition will make the difference that is needed to provide stability in this economic climate. When the Conservatives were in opposition they made many pledges regarding the NHS. MRSA Action UK hope that these pledges will be renewed and strengthened to demonstrate our new Prime Minister’s summing up of his belief in our healthcare system with these three letters… NHS.
As a charity we were pleased to see that the Conservatives had given a commitment to carry on reducing healthcare associated infections. In addition, the new Prime Minister has given a pledge to look after the elderly, the frail and the poorest in our country; this must also include the sick.
Our Prime Minister, as Leader of the opposition, in one of his first conference speeches in October 2008 described what happened to one of his constituents who sadly passed away without dignity in an NHS hospital. He said “we have to get better at this” and gave a commitment that a future Conservative government would be determined that the NHS should be equipped to meet the highest standards of dignity and safety, and they would not lose sight of this issue of the pain that has been caused to so many people.
We hope this will extend to recognising the burden of healthcare associated infections, as too many people are being lost and suffering as a consequence of avoidable infections. We will be looking very closely as to what this new Government’s proposals are in tackling healthcare associated infections, and offer our help to the Prime Minister and Health Secretary in helping them to continue the work being undertaken in reducing healthcare infections, this must include the whole health economy and not just our hospitals. The new Government must also recognise the need for openness and fairness in reporting the true numbers of healthcare associated infections and use this opportunity to address the inequality in performance across the regions by making sound financial judgements on the investment needed to bring infections down to the irreducible minimum and save lives.
Derek Butler
Chair
MRSA Action UK
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