Cameron's cuts will mire hospital in further debt

3.00.00pm GMT Wed 9th Jan 2008

David Cameron's proposal to fine hospitals in which patients contract superbugs has been attacked by the five Liberal Democrat MPs in Cornwall. They say local hospitals should be given fair funding to help them get on top of infection control challenges.

In 2007 Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust (RCHT) was found to be the worst performing in England, meeting only 13 of the Government's 44 standards, including meeting none on hygiene. However the Trust has one of the largest budget deficits in the country and receives lower funding than most trusts. While it is working towards meeting all 44 standards by spring this year, being financially penalised will only hamper that effort.

Andrew George MP for the West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St Ives said: "The problem with the current fad of "headline grabbing initiatives" is that they are rarely thought through. For the underfunded hospitals of Cornwall this proposal would only denigrate local patients by forcing them to use a service struggling with even fewer resources.

"The most important elements of a successful infection control policy are the management of surplus beds, ward design and space, having enough single rooms for barrier nursing and having enough staff to manage patients without cutting corners. This requires investment rather than undermining hospital staff as the Conservatives seem to want to do."

Julia Goldsworthy MP for Falmouth and Camborne added: "Cameron's Conservatives seem to have no clue about the challenges that rural health services face. In Cornwall we need a fair funding deal to meet our needs, not the threat of centrally imposed cuts."