Labour Party Conference: 'Improving safety and protecting patients: infection prevention in the NHS '

Discussions about prevention frequently focus on the importance of preventing people from needing hospital care. But often overlooked is the importance of prevention within hospitals themselves. At any one time, 8 per cent of patients in hospital have an infection which they acquired while receiving medical care, known as a healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). Worryingly, this marks an increase in the rate of HCAIs, up from 6.6 per cent in 2016. Evidence also suggests persistent variation in rates across providers.    

While some HCAIs are unavoidable, many can – and should – be prevented with the right measures. The NHS and associated national bodies already know what ‘good’ infection prevention looks like, the problems come from inconsistent implementation of guidance and standards.    

Consistent and high-quality infection prevention is essential both for patient safety and to deliver system-wide efficiencies. A patient who has a catheter placed while in hospital, who acquires an infection due to ineffective sterilisation, may then have to go to their GP for follow-up care and antibiotics. A patient who has surgery, but develops an avoidable a surgical-site infection, may have to be readmitted to hospital. These examples demonstrate the risks created by inadequate infection prevention for a patient’s health, as well as how this can create avoidable costs for the NHS.    

At a time when the NHS is seeking to improve patient outcomes, boost productivity and reduce waiting lists, preventing avoidable infections represents a clear opportunity to deliver against all these aims.  

Re:State is delighted to host this Labour Party Conference roundtable with Kevin McKenna MP and Lewis Atkinson MP.

This private roundtable will be held in-person and will take place under the Chatham House rule and is kindly supported by BD.