PRIME Minister Tony Blair has today sent his deepest sympathies to the family of MRSA baby Luke Day and promised that the recording of the superbug on death certificates will be overhauled.

PRIME Minister Tony Blair has today sent his deepest sympathies to the family of MRSA baby Luke Day and promised that the recording of the superbug on death certificates will be overhauled.

In a two-page letter Mr Blair outlines the Labour party's efforts to tackle MRSA and promises to continue working "flat out" to ensure a similar tragedy does not happen again.

He writes: "The death of a child is every parent's worst fear but nothing can prepare you for the anguish and grief it must actually cause. My heart goes out to you.

"I can't do anything to bring back your son or grandchild. I can promise, however, to keep working flat out to try to reduce the risk of any other families suffering such pain."

Mr Blair addresses the many points raised in the letter sent to him by Julie Fenton, Luke's paternal grandmother, and states that doctors will be asked to record MRSA on ALL death certificates where it has been a factor.

He writes: "We need accurate and comprehensive statistics not just so we know the scale of the problem but also to enable us to monitor how effective are the various measures we are putting in place to tackle it.

"This obviously includes recording of MRSA on death certificates. Indeed, Chief Medical Officer has asked all doctors to report MRSA, even where it is a contributory cause of death, on death certificates in future."

Kevin Fenton, Luke's father, had to fight to get MRSA put down on his son's death certificate. He said: "I'm really pleased that they are going to start looking at this. I think it's one of the most important things they can do.

"Overall, I think it's a nice letter."

Mrs Fenton, of Bilney Road, Woodbridge, said: "All you can ask for at the end of the day is that they are going to do their best and take it seriously, but who will ever know whether they actually do what they say they will?

"I'm pleased with this letter because it actually goes through all the points I raised in mine and answers them.

"I'm particularly pleased that they are looking at the recording of MRSA on death certificates because without that we are never going to know the full scale of the problem.

"This isn't just about Ipswich Hospital this is a national issue and it's important for everyone in the country."

Luke's family travelled to the House of Commons with The Evening Star earlier in the month to hand letters in to representative of the leaders of all three major parties.

They received a letter from Conservative leader Michael Howard earlier this week in which he expressed his desire to arrange a meeting with them but so far they have been unable to sort this out.

The family have been promised that a response from Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy will be with them in the next few days.