To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent advice his Department has given to hospitals on the (a) prevention and (b) treatment of clostridium difficile. (151451)

In addition to the answer given to the hon. Member on 19 March 2007, Official Report, column 725W, we issued a revised version of “Saving Lives: a delivery programme to reduce healthcare associated infections including MRSA” on 21 June 2007. This includes an updated high impact intervention on Clostridium difficile (C.difficile) and “Antimicrobial prescribing—A summary of good practice”. The latter is relevant because improved prescribing helps to prevent C.difficile infection.