Liz Lynne MEP supports call for action to protect European healthcare

9.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 2nd Apr 2004

During this week's European Parliament Plenary session in Strasbourg, West Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne, confirmed her strong support for an initiative to protect healthcare workers from potentially fatal bloodborne infections that can be contracted from accidental needlesticks and other medical sharps injuries.

A needlestick injury occurs when a healthcare worker, or colleague, or other downsteam worker is accidentally pricked with a used needle. It is estimated that 1 million needlestick injuries occur in Europe each year, many of which are avoidable. When a needlestick injury occurs there is a risk of the worker acquiring a bloodborne infection, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

A coalition of European and International organisations, representing healthcare workers across Europe are adequately protected, through the application of safer working practices and the use of medical technology which incorporates needle protection features.

The Liberal Democrat MEP who is the ELDR spokesperson on health and safety issues in the European Parliament said:

"The number of people with Hepatitis C is increasing dramatically and the vast majority of them do not know they are infected. It is not acceptable that the people whom we depend upon to preserve our health are put at risk in this way on a daily basis."

There are three European safety directives that are applicable to this issue, one of which deals specifically with biological agents. However, these have not proved effective in protecting healthcare workers from potentially serious injuries.

Liz Lynne added

"Further measures are necessary to ensure that this existing legislation is implemented properly by the Member States in the healthcare sector, in particular to protect workers from needlestick injuries."

ENDS

Notes To Editors

89/391/EEC (safety and health of workers), 89/655/EEC (work equipment),

2000/54/EEC (biological agents) are the EU Council Directives that cover medical sharps injuries.