Tory Superbug Plans Are Rhetoric And Hot Air

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 2nd Sep 2004

Conservative plans to fight hospital superbugs have been attacked by the Liberal Democrats as rhetoric and hot air.

Paul Burstow MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, said:

"It is highly surprising that the Tories have just woken up to the seriousness of this issue. It is depressing that they have come up with no new solutions to deal with infection. The Tories have taken a leaf out of the Government's book on MRSA. This is typical rhetoric and hot air.

"The Government must scrap political targets to free up NHS staff to tackle

infections. The lack of isolation rooms, which is preventing staff from

stopping the spread of superbugs, must also be examined.

"Patients go into hospital to get better, but they are getting sicker because of hospital infections. Infection control must be a top priority in the NHS."