Wednesday 7 January 2009
ROYAL NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL VRE OUTBREAK HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR PUBLICATION OF HOSPITAL INFECTION RATES
Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner today said the outbreak of Vancomycin resistant enterococcus (VRE) at Royal North Shore Hospital highlights the need for the State Labor Government to improve infection control measures and publish hospital infection rates.
“The NSW Labor Government has resisted my calls to release the infection figures for many years, presumably because it’s embarrassed at what they might show,” Mrs Skinner said.
“Publication of hospital infection rates will identify where extra resources should be provided and extra effort is needed,” she said.
“Infection control experts have been warning for years that hospitals with high infection rates are symptomatic of hospitals under stress where staff run from one very sick patient to another with no time to wash hands.
“The NSW Labor Government has under-resourced Royal North Shore for many years and I’m concerned this viral outbreak is a result of the stress under which the hospital has been operating.
“Hospital acquired infections are at dangerous levels in the public health system, and the NSW Labor Government has done nothing to reassure the public our hospitals are safe.
“Nathan Rees promised to be more open and accountable – a good start would be publishing hospital infection rates.
“The publication of infection data is in line with the NSW Liberal/Nationals policy of public reporting and benchmarking.
“The Garling Special Commission heard evidence of low infection screening rates across NSW - with less than 10 percent of patients screened at Nepean Hospital, according to one of the facility’s leading doctors – and extremely low rates of hand washing by hospital staff that are run off their feet.
“Patients are being put at risk of infection because the Labor Government has ignored pleas from highly skilled surgeons to implement better prevention controls,” Mrs Skinner said.