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Commons clash over C.diff deaths | |
(20 minutes later) | |
Gordon Brown and David Cameron have clashed in the House of Commons over the clostridium difficile outbreak at hospitals in Kent. | Gordon Brown and David Cameron have clashed in the House of Commons over the clostridium difficile outbreak at hospitals in Kent. |
The Conservative leader asked the prime minister if the government's "top down targets" were contributing to poor infection control by NHS trusts. | The Conservative leader asked the prime minister if the government's "top down targets" were contributing to poor infection control by NHS trusts. |
Mr Brown replied that C.diff and MRSA were being tackled with new isolation wards and a deep clean of hospitals. | Mr Brown replied that C.diff and MRSA were being tackled with new isolation wards and a deep clean of hospitals. |
Ninety patient deaths in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells were caused by C.diff. | Ninety patient deaths in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells were caused by C.diff. |
Health Secretary Alan Johnson apologised last week for the "truly scandalous" outbreak which was exposed in a Healthcare Commission report. | Health Secretary Alan Johnson apologised last week for the "truly scandalous" outbreak which was exposed in a Healthcare Commission report. |
New hospital plea | New hospital plea |
But Mr Cameron said at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday: "On Maidstone Hospital, the Healthcare Commission said 'senior managers were reluctant to implement major infection control measures because of the need to meet targets'." | |
He asked Mr Brown: "Will you accept that the number and extent of your top down targets are contributing to this problem?" | He asked Mr Brown: "Will you accept that the number and extent of your top down targets are contributing to this problem?" |
The prime minister replied: "It is because we are concerned about MRSA and C.diff that we have taken very special measures - isolation wards, we are about to appoint 3,000 more matrons, [and] we are also about to do a deep clean of hospitals." | The prime minister replied: "It is because we are concerned about MRSA and C.diff that we have taken very special measures - isolation wards, we are about to appoint 3,000 more matrons, [and] we are also about to do a deep clean of hospitals." |
The C.diff health trust's chairman resigned on Monday | The C.diff health trust's chairman resigned on Monday |
Mr Brown added that the interim chief executive of the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Glenn Douglas, had said "targets are there for a reason and should not stop us from focusing majorly on patient safety. That is the number one priority". | Mr Brown added that the interim chief executive of the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Glenn Douglas, had said "targets are there for a reason and should not stop us from focusing majorly on patient safety. That is the number one priority". |
The Commons debate came as two west Kent MPs met Alan Johnson to seek assurances that a new £300m PFI hospital at Pembury, near Tunbridge Wells, would not be derailed by the C.diff scandal. | The Commons debate came as two west Kent MPs met Alan Johnson to seek assurances that a new £300m PFI hospital at Pembury, near Tunbridge Wells, would not be derailed by the C.diff scandal. |
Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon said afterwards: "Two of these three hospitals [involved in the C.diff outbreak] were very, very old buildings. | Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon said afterwards: "Two of these three hospitals [involved in the C.diff outbreak] were very, very old buildings. |
"That doesn't excuse what happened, but we've been waiting 10 years for the new Pembury hospital and I hope now it won't be much longer." | "That doesn't excuse what happened, but we've been waiting 10 years for the new Pembury hospital and I hope now it won't be much longer." |
Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark added: "He [the health secretary] gave me his assurance that he would do everything he can to make sure the hospital is built." | Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark added: "He [the health secretary] gave me his assurance that he would do everything he can to make sure the hospital is built." |
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