Antimicrobial resistance or resisting responsibility?

And so it begins – barely 2 months into 2008 and already the number of newspaper column inches racked up by a selection of NHS Trusts regarding shoddy infection control procedures and meticillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) rates is snowballing. Happy New Year! And unfortunately, everyone involved has been lightening quick to apportion blame – the Government now blames patients for being too pushy when asking for antibiotics, patients blame hospital staff and cleaners for not doing their jobs properly, hospital staff apparently blame the cleaners and upper management, and management blame everyone but themselves. Is it not time for everyone involved, including patients, to realize that it is everyone’s responsibility?