Health Trust reduces MRSA cases

Rochdale Infirmary

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has reduced the number of MRSA bacteraemia cases by over 90 per cent in four years, from 105 in 2006/07 to 10 in 2010/11, collectively across all of its hospitals.

The Trust runs hospitals in Rochdale, Oldham, Bury and North Manchester.

The Trust’s target for 2010/11 was to have no more than 14 hospital attributable MRSA (post-48hr) cases; for the year the Trust reported just 10 cases.

For Clostridium Difficile (C Diff) infections, the Trust’s target for 2010/11 was no more than 363 (post-78hr) cases; for the year the Trust reported 160 cases.

Marian Carroll, director of nursing at The Pennine Acute Trust, said: “The Trust continues to successfully reduce the number of health acquired infections including MRSA bacteraemias and Clostridium Difficile infections through good infection control, hygiene practice, clean environments and better use of antibiotics.

“This significant reduction in the number of MRSA and C Diff cases across our hospitals is very good news and great for the Trust and, most importantly, for our patients.

“This achievement is thanks to the concerted effort and commitment by all our staff. A huge amount of work and learning has been achieved across the Trust, particularly among medical and nursing staff.

“I would like to congratulate staff on this important achievement. The Trust is in a good position to achieve our new targets and move forward to reduce health acquired infections further.”

The Trust’s MRSA target for 2011/12 is no more than 12 post 48hr cases. The Trust is now also required to screen all relevant emergency admissions for MRSA colonisation.

The target for Clostridium Difficile infections is to reduce below the 160 infections last year; no more than 149 hospital attributable (post 72hr) cases.

Cases of MRSA bacteraemia and C Diff are reported weekly as required by the Department of Health.

There is now an additional mandatory requirement for all NHS acute trusts to report Meticillin Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteraemia and reporting commenced on 1 January 2011. Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteraemia reporting is also required from June 2011.