Written question asked by Vincent Cable (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 19 January 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 14 February 2000. It was answered by Yvette Cooper (Labour) on Monday, 14 February 2000 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to instruct NHS trusts to notify the Public Health Laboratory of cases of MRSA.

Answer: Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to instruct NHS trusts to notify the Public Health Laboratory of cases of MRSA. [106755] Yvette Cooper: The Report on Resistance to Antibiotics by the Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology drew attention, among other things, to proposals that National Health Service laboratories should be asked to report causative organisms such as MRSA to the Public Health Laboratory Service. In response, the Government accepted the need to increase the effectiveness of laboratory reporting. This could include the reporting of organisms such as MRSA. An overall Communicable Disease Strategy is now being developed by a working group chaired by the Chief Medical Officer.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 344 c379-80W; 106755
Session: 1999-00
Subjects: Environmental health Public Health Laboratory Service MRSA Laboratories Notifiable diseases