MRSA infections cut at Pennine Acute Trust

Occurences of MRSA infections at hospitals run by Pennine Acute Trust, including Rochdale Infirmary and services at Birch Hill, have been cut by nearly 75% in a year.

There were only eight cases of MRSA reported at the Trust between April and June this year, compared with 26 over the same three months last year.

Over the same time period, the MRSA rate per 10,000 bed days dropped from 1.73 to 0.54.

The Trust reported 17 cases between January and March this year.

A spokesman for Pennine Acute Trust, which runs the hospital, said: “The 70% reduction in cases between April and June 2008, compared with the same period last year, is testament to the hard work of staff.

“We’ve carried out a number of initiatives, including additional handwashing training for more than 4,500 staff, a deep clean of wards, and we secured more than £500,000 to pay for a team of senior specialist infection prevention nurses and greater use of a skin sterilisation preparation.

“However, we are never complacent. Infection prevention and control remains at the top of our agenda and good hand washing practice is the single most important step we can take to beating the bugs.”

Health Secretary Alan Johnson has paid tribute to NHS staff nationally for their significant success in going beyond the Government's target of halving MRSA blood stream infections across England.

The latest quarterly figures on MRSA bloodstream infections show that the number of MRSA infections has fallen by 57% compared to the base level in 2003/4 when the target was set.

The figures show that the risk of becoming infected with an MRSA bacteraemia is at its lowest for five years. This has been achieved by a package of measures including higher standards of clinical practice and cleanliness, an increase in matrons and hospital deep cleans.

Alan Johnson said: "Our strategy for tackling infection is clearly delivering results and the NHS continues to work hard to ensure hospitals are clean and safe for patients. But we are certainly not complacent and we won't stop here. Healthcare associated infections present a huge challenge to health services across the world and we will continue to do all we can to tackle them.

"Hand hygiene, high standards of cleanliness, bare below the elbows, deep clean of hospitals and screening patients for MRSA are all vital elements of our strategy, so too is sensible use of antibiotics. But now we are stepping up a level and looking increasingly towards technology and design to play its part in the fight against infection which is why I am delighted to be launching the 'Showcase Hospital' scheme.

"There were those who said our MRSA target was completely unachievable and it was certainly very challenging. But it is the tremendous efforts of NHS staff that has achieved this significant reduction, resulting in real improvements to patient care."

The Government will now work with the NHS to sustain this reduction in MRSA infections, as well as delivering a 30% reduction in C. difficile in the next three years. The Department of Health is investing £270 million per year by 2010/11 in improving infection prevention and control - this includes stringent hand-washing guidance for the NHS, clear guidance on appropriate antibiotic prescribing and the clinical care of patients with healthcare associated infections.