Bedbugs and consultants are bleeding us dry
Call for minimum standards for TB care in UK
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Tuberculosis has called for the introduction of national minimum standards for TB care in the UK.
The report, published jointly with the British Thoracic Society and the RCN, concludes that while much progress has been made in the fight against TB more needs to be done if the increase in UK cases is to be reversed.
The report highlighted variations in service provision across the country, with national clinical guidance and policy being implemented more effectively in some areas than in others.
It concludes that national minimum standards would ensure that PCTs and service providers were held to account over care for TB patients and ensure consistency in TB care across the country.
Julie Morgan MP, co-chair of the group, said: ‘Whilst I am pleased with the advances that have been made in TB services over the past two years, this report shows that there is evidently much work left to do in ensuring that the care received by TB patients is first class.’
RCN general secretary Peter Carter added: ‘There is an urgent need to introduce national minimum standards to prevent TB becoming an even greater problem in the UK in the future.’
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Readers' comments (1)
Anonymous | 8-Jul-2009 8:44 pm
I would be interested to know whether or not this increase has occured since they ceased giving the BCG inniculation to school children! Also whether or not it would be a good idea to re-ontroduce this innoculation to try and prevent the increase in cases?
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