In a Welsh Assembly debate about hospital infections, Labour Assembly Member for Carmarthenshire Joyce Watson defended the record of Prince Phillip hospital from what she described as a "Tory attack".
Referring to figures that show that in 2006 the Llanelli hospital had the fewest deaths in Wales from the infection C. difficile, the local AM said that Tory suggestions that NHS staff were only concerned with hospital cleanliness when politicians came to visit were both "insulting" and "wrong".
"Earlier this year I spent quite some time in Prince Phillip hospital in Llanelli, where no-one knew who I was and where there were no trumpets announcing my arrival, and the standard of hygiene was always exemplary.
"As we approach the 60th anniversary of the NHS in Wales, we should be commending the staff who work so hard to help us get well. They do a difficult job under stressful conditions and they deserve our praise not this finger-pointing.
"For the Conservatives to blame them for spreading infections is both insulting and wrong."
Llanelli MP, Nia Griffith added:
"The battle against hospital infection must be won. I applaud the efforts of frontline staff in this campaign and we must ensure that they have the best possible equipment for the task. That is why I welcome today's announcement that new uniforms have been designed to minimize infection"
24th June 2008
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