FG on attack over hospital hygiene

Superbugs, like MRSA and Clostridium difficile, remain rife in Irish hospitals despite an additional €48.5 million being spent on improving hygiene standards between 2005 and 2007, Fine Gael has claimed.

The party today released data, compiled through Dáil questions, which shows the hospital cleaning bill rose by 44 per cent during the two-year period and is projected to increase by a further €11 million in 2008.

Fine Gael Meath West TD Damien English called on Minister for Health Mary Harney to explain the value for money achieved by the hike in costs, which represents a 54 per cent increase on the 2005 figure and a total spend of over €578 million up to the end of 2008.

In the first definitive hospital hygiene audit in 2005, five hospitals were rated 'good'. By 2007, and after increased spending of €48.5 million, the number of hospitals rated in this category had only increased to seven.

Mr English says despite the additional funds we are not seeing equivalent results in improved hygiene scores and enhanced patient safety. The data shows large increases in cleaning costs at some hospitals have led to only moderate improvements hygiene and patient safety.

At Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore, for example, a 73 per cent increase in cleaning costs, between 2005 and projected spend for 2008, improved its hygiene audit rating from 'poor' in 2005 to 'fair' in 2007.

The cost of cleaning in Monaghan General increased by 75 per cent for the same period while its rating remained 'fair'. The cost at Cork University Hospital increased similarly but its rating also remained 'fair'.

Naas General Hospital and the Mater had increased cleaning costs of 74 per cent and 79 per cent respectively but achieved higher ratings in 2007 than 2005, moving from 'fair' to 'good' in the former case and 'poor' to 'fair' in the latter.

"Hospital hygiene is not only a basic right which every patient should be able to expect but is essential to tackling the risk and spread of superbugs like MRSA and Clostridium difficile," Mr English said. "Because the Government has broken every promise it ever made on delivering extra beds, hospital overcrowding makes cleanliness all the more difficult.

“It is extremely hard to believe that the massive hike in cleaning costs has resulted in increased safety for patients,” he added.