Superbug deaths up 15-fold

10.41.12am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 26th Feb 2004

The number of deaths involving superbug MRSA has increased from 51 in 1993 to 800 in 2002, while laboratory reports of MRSA blood poisoning increased from 210 in 1993 to 5,309 in 2002, according to a study of trends in MRSA published today.

MRSA was involved in 7 out of every ten thousand deaths nationally and 12 out of every ten thousand in NHS General Hospitals. Paul Burstow MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, called the figures "shocking and unacceptable".

Paul Burstow MP said:

"These figures are shocking and unacceptable and are just the tip of the iceberg.

"The human and financial cost of hospital infections is a scandal. Poor hospital hygiene is wasting money and costing lives.

"Ministers have failed to take this issue seriously for too long. People go into hospital to get better. But they are getting sicker because of staff shortages and because infection control is not a high enough priority.

"The new NHS watchdog, the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection must make hospital hygiene a top priority to expose poor practice and champion healthy hospitals."