PATIENT SAFETY : NEW RECOMMENDATIONS TO PREVENT HOSPITAL INFECTIONS.

Each year, one in twenty patients, ie 4.1 million people, get an infection while hospitalised in the EU. Around 37,000 deaths are directly caused by hospital acquired infections, and an additional 110,000 deaths are induced by infections. The European Commission adopted, on 15 December, a communication and a proposal for a Council recommendation identifying specific actions that member states can take to improve the safety of patients in hospitals.

Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said that "Patient safety is the cornerstone of good quality health care. I would like to see a Europe for patients where safety is paramount and citizens are confident and knowledgeable about the care they receive".

Studies conducted in "one or two" member states plus surveys among patients themselves suggest that among the most common adverse events' in EU health care are health care-associated infections' (HCAIs), medication-related errors, surgical errors, medical device and equipment-related failures, errors in diagnosis or the failure to act on the result of tests.

The Commission believes that most adverse events' are caused by a combination of factors. To date, efforts to improve patient safety at member state and EU level have focused primarily on specific aspects, for example minimising the risk from medicinal products, medical devices or controlling antimicrobial resistance.

The communication proposes a "comprehensive approach" to improving...