PROGRESS ON NHS TARGETS MUST NOT DISTRACT FROM FIGHTING SUPERBUGS - LAMB

6.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 18th Oct 2007

Commenting on the Healthcare Commission's annual 'health check', including performance ratings for all NHS trusts in England, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb MP said: "Progress on Government targets must not come at the expense of the most important priority of all: clean hospitals free from infection."

"This report shows that many hospitals are still not protecting patients from the threat of superbugs.

"Hospitals are too often forced to prioritise meeting targets over essential basics such as good hygiene.

"When nurses are overworked and wards are filled to bursting point, one case of C Difficile can easily spread further with deadly consequences.

"The report also shows that we are still not out of the woods with financial problems in the NHS. Hospital executives will be under pressure to provide strong leadership to avoid another round of cost cutting in hospitals.

"The damage done to mental health services, which often bore the brunt of the financial turbulence in the NHS, is hidden by the lack of targets in the area."