ABOUT TIME

After my constant ranting about BUGS all I can say is ABOUT TIME.
Let us see if it makes a difference.

Inspection blitz on NHS hygiene

The NHS is struggling to meet targets to cut superbugs

The NHS in England is facing a blitz on hygiene standards as a watchdog uses new powers to crackdown on infections.The Healthcare Commission is to go into 120 NHS trusts unannounced in the next year to check cleanliness standards and infection control procedures.The watchdog has new powers under the Health Act 2006 to order trusts to improve their standards.It comes as the NHS struggles to meet the government's target of halving MRSA "superbug rates" between 2004 and 2008.

It is odd that it has taken 10 years to introduce these unannounced checks, especially as it's been a period in which the number of deaths from MRSA has quadrupled Andrew Lansley, shadow health secretary

Cases of MRSA are falling, but Clostridium difficile is becoming more common with 55,681 cases among the over-65s in 2006 - up 8% on the year before.
The watchdog, which will be mainly focusing on hospitals but will also take in some mental health institutions, will examine whether the right management structures and infection control teams are in place.