Liz Lynne continues campaign for safer needles

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 13th May 2004

West Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne today visited Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Birmingham to talk to health staff about the campaign for safer needles which Liz is supporting in the European Parliament. Her visit followed International Nurses day which was on Wednesday.

Liz heard a presentation on the Safer Needles Campaign and met staff who have suffered needlestick injuries. It is estimated that 1 million such injuries occur in Europe each year, many of which are avoidable. A needlestick injury occurs when a healthcare worker, or ancillary or support staff worker are accidentally pricked with a used needle.

When a needlestick injury occurs there is a risk of the worker acquiring a bloodborne infection, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

Liz Lynne said:

"I met representatives from this campaign in Strasbourg in March and signed a joint letter, with other MEPs, to Commissioner Stavros Dimas calling for a safer needles campaign.

"It is not acceptable that health workers are put in danger when it could easily be prevented. The number of people with Hepatitis C is growing rapidly in the UK and many are unaware they are infected.

"Three European Directives cover this area of concern but more effort is necessary to ensure that this existing legislation is implemented properly by the Member States in the healthcare sector. As the number of cases continues to rise we need urgent action to protect workers from needlestick injuries."

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.

ENDS