NOW WASH YOUR HANDS! - Robinson

12.45.12am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 1st May 2005

"Doctors and nurses must be allowed to use their clinical judgement to control infection" says Stephen Robinson

Stephen Robinson says the Liberal Democrats will scrap Labour's political targets and allow greater freedom for NHS staff to put patients' interests first. He said, "This will allow doctors and nurses to use their clinical judgment to cut hidden waiting lists, deliver quality individual patient care, and improve infection control." The Lib Dems are also publishing "Now Wash Your Hands", a new survey of hospital infection control teams. Stephen said, "Every year the equivalent of seven and half district general sized hospitals are filled by people who pick up an infection during their stay."

"Scrapping targets is not the same as abandoning standards." He went on, "But healthcare is far too complex to be boiled down into a set of conveniently eye-catching targets which distort good medical practice."

The Survey shows:

• more than 8 in 10 teams said that targets have a negative impact on their efforts to control hospital infections;

• Over half believe that bed occupancy in their hospital is far too high;

• Nearly a third lack confidence in Labour's strategy to combat the spread of hospital infections,

• Three quarters report that their hospital doesn't have enough isolation facilities or single rooms.