Drug-resistant bugs are on the increase

The way such incidents are monitored is also to be beefed up, England's Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, said on Monday.

So-called "hospital-acquired infections" are thought to cost the NHS millions of pounds every year - and contribute to the deaths of thousands of patients.

They not only put the lives of the most vulnerable patients at risk, but they extend the hospital stays of many of those who catch them.

Of particular concern are bugs which have gained resistance to the antibiotics which should be able to defeat them.

On the rise

Prevalence of the "superbug" MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus) is rising in hospitals in the UK.

The latest initiative involves hospital pharmacists across England.

They will use the �12 million over three years to monitor more closely how antibiotics are used by doctors.

One of the key factors in the rise in resistant bugs is thought to be overuse of common antibiotics, which speeds up the emergence of tougher strains.

Handwashing

Sir Liam said: ""We are in no doubt that the issue of all healthcare associated infections - especially those acquired in hospital is an extremely serious one - especially the development of resistant infections.

"Common sense tells us that the cleanliness of our hospitals plays a part in infection control. But the scientific basis for that link is far from clear and needs more investigation.

Antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem and should concern everyone Dr Richard Wise, British Society of Antimicrobial Resistance

"Similarly, we need to look at how infections move from person to person. Do staff, for example, have easily accessible facilities to disinfect their hands?"

He announced an extension to the current reporting scheme which requires hospitals to report some cases of hospital-acquired infections.

Now bosses will have to tell the Health Protection Agency every time they have an infection which is resistant to a key antibiotic family called glycopeptide.

They will also have to report "serious incidents" caused by hospital infections - for example when they have to close a ward due to an outbreak of vomiting virus.

Professor Richard Wise, president of the British Society for Antimicrobial Resistance, said:"Antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem and should concern everyone.

"The new initiative to encourage hospital pharmacists to get involved in reducing antimicrobial resistance is to be greatly applauded."

Dr Gill Hawksworth, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, also backed the move.

"In the long-term, we hope the tide of resistance to antibiotics can be reversed and this new Department of Health initiative gives pharmacists the opportunity to play their full part."

However, Dr Liam Fox, Shadow Health Secretary, said: "Does the Government really believe that initiatives designed to capture tomorrow's headlines will tackle this hugely alarming crisis?