Local Hospital On Superbug Blacklist

1.13.55pm GMT Thu 15th Jan 2004

A league table of hospitals shows that the West Middlesex is the fifth worst in the country (Ealing is the third worst) for cases of MRSA, the hospital 'superbug'. With 41 cases in 2002/3 (.27 cases per 1000 bed days) there was seven times the risk of hospital acquired infection as in a low incidence hospital like York or Peterborough.

In the country as a whole 5000 people die from MRSA infections caught in hospital and 1 in 10 patients catch some form of hospital infection. Britain has one of the highest infection rates in the developed world and the government has brought in a new police initiative centering on rigorous standards of hygiene.

Vincent Cable said: "when I first became an MP, six years ago, one of the first cases I had to deal with was of a lady who caught MRSA in the West Middlesex severely disrupting her chemotherapy treatment for cancer."

"I obtained a parliamentary debate on the subject - I think the first - and stirred up a campaign. While it is gratifying to see that there is now a stronger, nationwide, government led, drive to improve matters it is worrying that the local hospital still struggles with this problem and appears to be unable to impose strict hygiene standards".