SNP Health chief Nicola Sturgeon urges superbug blitz

Oct 19 2008 By Euan Hamilton

NICOLA STURGEON yesterday ordered health boards to slash deadly hospital superbug rates.

The Health Secretary told the conference she would set a national target to cut the rate of clostridium difficile (C diff) by almost a third in three years.

Record numbers of patients died from the superbug last year.

The SNP deputy leader said "nothing was more important" than tackling hospital infections.

She admitted it was a tough target, adding: "The very highest standards of hospital cleanliness will be required to meet it. C diff is linked to poor hygiene and the over-use of antibiotics."

In August, she revealed one of her relatives had died from C diff.

She said it had given her a "personal insight" into how bereaved families feel. She said: "I understand why families are calling for an inquiry."

There were 6430 C.diff cases in 2007 and the bug was linked to the deaths of almost 600 patients. This was up more than 40 per cent, from 417 the previous year. Health boards will be ordered to improve hand hygiene and it will be mandatory to record cases of infection.

The new targets will be paid for from a budget of £54million already earmarked to tackle healthcare infections.

Sturgeon said rates of another superbug - MRSA - are falling, adding: "I want to see us now make the same progress in tackling C diff."

She also said there would no further privatisation of hospital cleaning and catering services.