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Worried public turn to private medical insurance over fears of hospital infections
30 September 2005
Fears over catching MRSA are leading people to take out private medical insurance, reveals healthcare provider Bupa as it launches a new ad campaign highlighting private hospital hygiene.
The posters, which run on billboards nationwide over the next three weeks, are the latest in the successful Feel Better Bupa campaign. They show the words Clean, Expert, Choice and Quick on four posters which focus on the aspects people value most about private healthcare including cleanliness, choice and quality.
The recent Bupa annual Health of the Nation research based on over 1,000 face to face interviews discovered that MRSA and general hospital hygiene remains a major concern. Access to clean hospitals was cited as the most important reason for taking out private medical insurance.
Dr Natalie-Jane Macdonald, Bupa Insurance medical director, said: “We have noticed that more and more of our customers are giving MRSA as a reason for calling to enquire about buying private medical insurance because they know the MRSA rate in private hospitals is much lower than in the NHS.”
The risks of contracting MRSA in private hospitals is negligible. One of the reasons is that most patients stay in private rooms which reduces the risk of infection spreading. Patients are usually admitted for planned procedures, rather than in an emergency, which means they can be assessed before they are admitted.
Bupa Hospitals managing director, Clare Hollingsworth said: “BUPA Hospitals’ MRSA rate so far this year is just 0.001 percent. We have strict hygiene procedures to keep the risk of infection to a minimum. Cleaning is done by Bupa staff and alcohol rubs are available so staff can clean hands between patients. Every Bupa Hospital also has an infection control committee led by a consultant microbiologist specialist in infection which ensures all patients receive the best possible care and treatment.”
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