Health secretary discusses aims to make NHS safer

The new health secretary Andy Burnham has stated he wants to make the NHS even safer for patients and staff.

Speaking at the NHS Confederations annual meeting yesterday (June 11th), he said there has been huge progress made – notably in reducing methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) rates by 65 per cent since 2003.

However, Mr Burnham wants this figure to improve and he explained the National Quality Board has been asked to introduce a new minimum standard to ensure the level is driven down even further.

According to the health secretary, achieving this goal would benefit patients and funding.

“Cutting cases of MRSA and C difficile not only saves many lives, it also saved the NHS at least £75 million last year,” Mr Burnham concluded.

One in three people carry the virus on their skin without developing an infection, but if it gets into the blood it can become much more serious.

To protect against the illness, the NHS advises any member of the public staying in a hospital to keep their body clean, wash hands regularly and ensure bedding is changed frequently.