Hospital Infections Fall

November 2nd 2007

The NHS may have turned the corner against hospital infection, according to figures released yesterday.

Rates of the two most troublesome bugs, MRSA and Clostridium difficile, have both fallen in the last year, according to the Health Protection Agency.

There was a ten per cent decrease in reported MRSA cases between March 2006 and 2007 -with some 6,831 cases reported for the year, the HPA said.

There was a further ten per cent reduction in the early summer, between April and June 2007.

C.difficile cases also fell during the early summer. The number of cases affecting patients over the age of 65 fell by 13 per cent over the three months, dropping to 13,660 during the quarter.

They had increased in the previous year by some seven per cent.

Professor Pete Borriello, director of the Centre for Infections, said: "These latest figures show a continuing downward trend in MRSA blood poisoning infections. Some NHS Trusts have made a significant impact on their MRSA infection rates, against a backdrop of increasing workloads.

"However, more work needs to be done to see the same level of decrease with C. difficile and we are encouraging Trusts to use the figures to raise the profile of local infection control practices and make changes where the results indicate this may be necessary."

The Royal College of Nursing warned against complacency.

General secretary Dr Peter Carter said: "We only have to look at recent events to illustrate the tragic consequences of not addressing this important issue.

"Nurses and their NHS colleagues have made great steps in tackling infection in our hospitals but to move forward we need to learn from previous mistakes and ensure that all NHS staff are engaged in the fight."

Meanwhile it was announced that Rose Gibb, former chief executive of the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, would not be getting severance pay.

Health secretary Alan Johnson visited the trust and said the offer of payment had probably been "unlawful".

The trust was condemned by the Healthcare Commission for failing to deal with outbreaks of infection and allowing dozens of deaths over several years.

The NHS may have turned the corner against hospital infection, according to figures released yesterday.

Rates of the two most troublesome bugs, MRSA and Clostridium difficile, have both fallen in the last year, according to the Health Protection Agency.

There was a ten per cent decrease in reported MRSA cases between March 2006 and 2007 -with some 6,831 cases reported for the year, the HPA said.

There was a further ten per cent reduction in the early summer, between April and June 2007.

C.difficile cases also fell during the early summer. The number of cases affecting patients over the age of 65 fell by 13 per cent over the three months, dropping to 13,660 during the quarter.

They had increased in the previous year by some seven per cent.

Professor Pete Borriello, director of the Centre for Infections, said: "These latest figures show a continuing downward trend in MRSA blood poisoning infections. Some NHS Trusts have made a significant impact on their MRSA infection rates, against a backdrop of increasing workloads.

"However, more work needs to be done to see the same level of decrease with C. difficile and we are encouraging Trusts to use the figures to raise the profile of local infection control practices and make changes where the results indicate this may be necessary."

The Royal College of Nursing warned against complacency.

General secretary Dr Peter Carter said: "We only have to look at recent events to illustrate the tragic consequences of not addressing this important issue.

"Nurses and their NHS colleagues have made great steps in tackling infection in our hospitals but to move forward we need to learn from previous mistakes and ensure that all NHS staff are engaged in the fight."

Meanwhile it was announced that Rose Gibb, former chief executive of the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, would not be getting severance pay.

Health secretary Alan Johnson visited the trust and said the offer of payment had probably been "unlawful".

The trust was condemned by the Healthcare Commission for failing to deal with outbreaks of infection and allowing dozens of deaths over several years.

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