Bernard Allen
Question:252 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he will take to ensure better infection control in our hospitals. [10644/00]
Written Answers. - Hospital Infection Control.
The importance of infection control has been recognised for some time and was specifically addressed by my Department in 1995. At that time, detailed guidelines in relation to the control of MRSA – Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus – were developed and circulated by my Department. While the guidelines dealt specifically with the control of MRSA, the principles set out in the guidelines are equally applicable to control of hospital-acquired infection in general. The guidelines draw attention to such issues as the need for education and training of staff and for infection control structures and procedures. In particular, the guidelines emphasise that hand washing is the most important factor in preventing the spread of hospital acquired infection in general, stressing that consultants and nurse managers must insist on good hand wash ing procedures. I fully endorse the approach set out in these guidelines which emphasise the importance of implementing appropriate infection control procedures and practices in line with the guidelines with a view to enduring that hospital acquired infection is kept to a minimum.
In addition to the guidelines already published, my Department also intends to establish multi-disciplinary and cross-sectoral policies to reduce the threat that anti-microbial resistance poses and has requested the National Disease Surveillance Centre to undertake work in this area. Among the range of issues on which the NDSC has been asked to advise is the development of principles in relation to infection control in the hospital and community settings. The NDSC is currently preparing a report on these issues.