Liberal Democrats launch charter for cleaner hospitals

3.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 22nd Oct 2007

Almost half of NHS Trusts have dangerously high occupancy rates that put patients at risk of contracting superbugs, according to analysis by the Liberal Democrats. The party has highlighted the figures alongside the launch of the Florence Nightingale Charter for cleaner hospitals. High bed occupancy rates are known to be a significant contributor to the spread of superbugs in hospitals and were mentioned in the report into the outbreak of clostridium difficile at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

These bed occupancy figures are shocking. For a lot of the time, many hospitals are effectively full and on 'red alert'. As long as this situation continues, it will undermine efforts to successfully combat hospital acquired infections. It puts staff under undue pressure and risks corners being cut in order to get new arrivals admitted on time. Today we are launching our Florence Nightingale Charter, bringing into the 21st century her beliefs that healthcare must start with good hygiene, sanitation and a well ordered hospital.