The bug is increasingly resistant to antibiotics

Party leader Michael Howard labelled rising rates of the bug as "the new British disease".

He accused the government of not doing enough to tackle the bug, which kills at least 5,000 NHS patients each year.

However, Health Secretary John Reid criticised the claims and said tackling MRSA was already a priority for the government.

The Liberal Democrats said the Tories had failed to come up with any new ideas for fighting the superbug.

Staphylococcus aureus is a type of bacteria sometimes found on healthy people's skin.

In many cases, it does not cause any problems. However, in others it can cause skin infections. It is potentially dangerous if it infects wounds and blood.

Michael Howard has proposed no new ways to tackle the superbug Health Secretary John Reid

Antibiotics can be used to kill the bacteria. However, the bug is becoming resistant to the drugs normally used to fight it, so-called methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus or MRSA.

A recent report from the National Audit Office suggested that 5,000 people die each year from MRSA and other similar infections. However, it said a lack of data meant the true figure could be much higher.

The National Patient Safety Agency announced plans on Wednesday to place alcohol-based gels at the end of every patient's bed in NHS hospitals.

By encouraging staff to wash their hands before examining patients, the agency hopes to reduce MRSA rates.

However, the Tories have accused the government of not doing enough to tackle the problem.

Scrap targets

Mr Howard said he would scrap NHS targets to free up staff to fight the bug.

"The man charged with running the NHS - its chief executive - has admitted that government targets have made dealing with the superbug more difficult," he said.

The Tory leader said his party's policy of giving patients more choice over where they are treated would enable hospitals to stamp out the bug.

"We will ensure that clear infection statistics are available to patients for every hospital in the country," he said.

"If patients don't want to be treated in a filthy ward or one with a high rate of infection, they won't have to be."

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said Tory policies would make a difference.

"People are very concerned about the extent of infections in hospitals," he told the BBC.

"There are people across the NHS who want to deliver infection free and clean hospitals but feel they are frustrated from doing so."

Health Secretary John Reid said he had set a tough target to reduce MRSA rates as part of the recent five-year NHS plan.

"Labour has already introduced trust by trust information on MRSA and it's such a priority for us that it is the only new target we added this year," he said.

"Michael Howard has proposed no new ways to tackle the superbug. His speech is not a serious attempt to deal with curing the ills of NHS patients. It's a desperate attempt to cure the ills of the Tory party."

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Paul Burstow said: "It is highly surprising that the Tories have just woken up to the seriousness of this issue.

"It is depressing that they have come up with no new solutions to deal with infection.