Nurses to lead fight against hospital bugs

The Government's new top nurse is being challenged to improve hospital cleanliness and bring down soaring MRSA rates.

Chris Beasley, who started her career at the Royal London Hospital in 1962, takes over today as Chief Nursing Officer.

As he announced her appointment, Health Secretary John Reid also published the Matron's Charter, a back-to-basics document which aims to show all hospital staff they have an important role to play. The document also puts contract cleaners under the control of matrons.

Mr Reid said: "I have made clear that her [Ms Beasley's] top priority will be cleanliness and infection control.

"Everyone has a role to play - hospital cleaners are as important as consultants when it comes to these issues. Nurses, doctors and other staff are in the front line of this struggle, and I am determined hospital managers and my department give them the support they need."

Today's announcement comes more than three years after Alan Milburn, then health secretary, put modern matrons back in charge of hospital wards in a bid to drive up standards.

He said then they would have power to withhold payments from catering and cleaning companies who were not up to scratch.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Paul Burstow said today's announcement was simply going over old ground and that nothing had changed.

He added: "This is another in a long line of hollow announcements aimed at tackling superbugs. Unless these plans give nurses real control over cleaning services little impact will be made in the fight against hospital infections."

Ms Beasley rose through the NHS's ranks to become interim head of the Modernisation Agency,

which aims to drive up standards throughout the health service.

Her predecessor, Sarah Mullally, left the Department of Health last month to join the Church of England.

Ms Beasley said: " I am delighted to take up this post and relish the challenge of ensuring all staff put hospital cleanliness and infection control at the top of the agenda.

"Matrons must lead by example and by making changes when things aren't up to scratch."