Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor Graham Stringer (Labour), on Tuesday, 9 November 2010, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 38 members in total.

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CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE AND PREBIOTICS

That this House acknowledges the potential of prebiotics to prevent clostridium difficile in a clinical setting, thereby improving patient experience and saving NHS resources; notes that clostridium difficile remains a serious problem in the UK with 6,342 cases reported by English primary care organisations in the first quarter of 2010 alone; fears that more cases may go unreported; believes that prevention must accompany treatment and containment if the number of infections is to be substantially reduced; further acknowledges that the cost to the NHS of one clostridium difficile infection is calculated to exceed 4,000, while a course of prebiotics costs under 10 a month; recognises that clostridium difficile infection is caused by antibiotics depleting a patient's beneficial gut bacteria, which prebiotics have been shown to promote; calls attention to the difference between prebiotics and probiotics, noting the greater efficacy of the former in promoting gut health; recommends that the Government considers the use of prebiotic food supplements in hospitals, nursing homes and clinics; and supports a pilot of prebiotics in a clinical setting in the UK.

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Secondary information

Type

Early day motion

Reference

974 

Session

2010-12

Other sponsors

Gregory Campbell

Martin Caton

Mark Durkan

Mike Hancock

Bob Russell

Subjects

Health services

Link

View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk