MRSA Action UK will pay tribute and remember those lost to preventable healthcare associated infections at Westminster Abbey

Tuesday, 29 June 2010 12:00 AM

On Thursday the 8th July MRSA Action UK will once again be holding its annual Memorial Service at Westminster Abbey at the Innocent Victims Memorial. This event, held every year, is to remember all the victims of avoidable healthcare infections. Members of our organisation along with their family and friends will travel from around the country to pay a sombre tribute to those who have suffered from and been lost to these avoidable Infections.

The purpose of this event is so that sufferers and their families can come together to find strength to help them come to terms with their pain and pray for those who still suffer and those who are caring for people affected. The passing years do not dull the pain of losing someone to MRSA or any avoidable infection, but we can come together to find the strength to campaign for continued investment in preventing and controlling them.

It is also a reminder to us all, especially to our elected representatives that although we have seen significant reductions in reportable infections over the past few years we still have many thousands suffering from and being lost to these avoidable infections which we do not record.

This year's Memorial will also pay tribute to those who have suffered from avoidable healthcare infections in our communities along with those many thousands who have suffered and been lost to those that we do not record, and to point out to our elected representatives that there is still an enormous amount of work that needs to be performed in this arena which currently accounts to two out three healthcare associated infections across the Healthcare Economy.

This year we are pleased that so many of those who will attend this event will be from the Healthcare community especially from hospital nursing staff who have responsibility for Infection Prevention and Control. There will be representatives from Trade Unions from within the Health Economy, representatives from the Healthcare Regulators and from the House of Commons.

The Health Secretary Andrew Lansley knows how important combating avoidable Healthcare Infections are when he said just recently in his speech on June the 8th that "I have spent too long with too many people who have lost loved ones to healthcare-associated infections, not to be determined to act on this". In 2008 the Health Secretary who was then Shadow Health Secretary attended our Memorial Service at Westminster Abbey and met the many victims of those who suffered from and lost someone and we saw that he was moved by their strength of purpose and commitment to help make the changes necessary to prevent families from suffering as they had.

The event begins at 12.30pm meeting at the West Gate of Westminster Abbey. The service and laying of floral tributes will be at 1.00pm, followed by a Reception from 2.00 - 4.30 pm at Westminster City Council Archive Centre.

Speakers and guests include Professor Hugh Pennington, President of MRSA Action UK and Emeritus Professor of Bacteriology at Aberdeen University, Jeanine Thomas, Chair and spokesperson MRSA Survivors Network, USA and Eileen Henderson, Assistant to Medical Director, Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust. There will be opportunities for questions and debate. All media enquiries to Derek Butler 07762 741114.

Derek Butler
Chair
MRSA Action UK
http://mrsaactionuk.net
derek.butler@mrsaactionuk.net
07762 741114

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