Clause 13 - Code of practice relating to health care associated infections
Health Bill
9:10 am
Steve Webb (Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Health; Northavon, Liberal Democrat)
Superficially, pre-admission screening is attractive. We have discussed that briefly in Committee, at which time the Minister said that the cost-effectiveness of the screening processes had not been demonstrated. I am open to the suggestion. The private sector can take such action more often because it is dealing with planned admissions and elective surgery, whereas the NHS is, to some extent, the victim of having to take anyone who turns up at its door. If such action can be proved to be clinically effective and cost-effective, I shall be open to the suggestion. It would help the point that I am making.
Why is the definition in the Bill different from that used by health bodies? Can we distinguish between infections acquired as a result of health care intervention and those that are identified in a heath care setting? Can the Government give some assessment of the balance between those two sources of risk?