Infections. ‘The biggest NHS fear’

A UK-wide poll carried out by the BBC shows that picking up an infection is the public’s main concern about hospital care.

Of the 1,040 people quizzed, 40 per cent listed the risk of potentially deadly infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile as their top NHS conern and in a separate finding, 31per cent said they would consider avoiding NHS surgery for fear of getting an infection.

I can understand their concern especially with new evidence uncovered by the Conservatives, which finds that Gordon Brown’s major initiative on hospital infections, the so-called ‘deep clean’, is likely to have failed as the vast majority of hospitals did not use the products recommended by the Goverment’s health watchdog, and only 9 per cent of trusts complied with all guidelines for the deep clean.

Gordon Brown’s deep clean is nothing more than a political stunt and has done nothing to stop the fear and worry of those having to go into hospital for an operation.

• 85 per cent of hospitals did not use hydrogen peroxide vapour in thier deep clean, even although it would only have cost a fraction of the amount spent.
• 16 per cent of hospitals did not use chlorine in their deep clean.
• 18 per cent of trusts admitted using steam cleaning in their deep clean, even though it is not known to be effective.