MRSA proposal:Fine Gael in government would appoint a national director of infection control to deal with the MRSA hospital bug, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said yesterday.
"If the people elect Fine Gael to government after this election, we will put in place a practical and achievable plan with immediate, intermediate and long-term measures to reduce hospital-acquired infections," Mr Kenny said.
Speaking at a Dublin press conference, Mr Kenny said immediate measures introduced by his government would include instructing hospitals to assign a staff member to the doors of every hospital, nursing home and GP surgery to ensure every staff member and visitor entering or leaving the building washed their hands.
Visiting hours would be restricted until the MRSA crisis was dealt with, Mr Kenny added. A senior staff nurse would be given responsibility for all aspects of hygiene in hospital wards and units. Infection control flying squads would be established to conduct regular, unannounced inspections.
Performance-related pay conditions would be extended for contract cleaners.
Mr Kenny and the party's Dáil health spokesman, Dr Liam Twomey, Seanad spokesman Feargal Browne, as well as candidates Dr John Barton, Dr Leo Varadkar, Dr Bill Tormey and Dr James Reilly, yesterday met with Dr Ian Hosein, an expert in dealing with MRSA.
Dr Hosein, a director of infection prevention and control at the Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust and a consultant medical microbiologist at the University Hospital of Wales, said that a strategy was required to regain the confidence of the Irish people in the health services.
"One of the reasons I am here with Fine Gael is that their approach is innovative and the party is willing to think outside the box," he said.
