Big fall in hospital MRSA infections

Friday September 19th, 2008

Cases of MRSA in England's hospitals have fallen by a third over the past year, according to official figures.

The statistics, released yesterday (September 18) by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), cover cases of healthcare-associated MRSA between April and June 2008. They show a 14 per cent decrease compared with the previous quarter, and a 36 per cent reduction on the same quarter in 2007.

Professor Peter Borriello of the HPA said: "The falls we are seeing in cases of MRSA bloodstream infections demonstrate the huge efforts being made by NHS staff to tackle these infections. The next challenge for the NHS will be to ensure that the downward trend continues and that we move to a position of zero tolerance."

Gordon Brown has written to all NHS staff to congratulate them, and health secretary Alan Johnson thanked staff for their "significant success in going beyond the government's target of halving MRSA blood stream infections across England ".

Overall, the number of cases has fallen by 57 per cent compared to the base level in 2003/4 when the target was set, according to the department of health.

Mr 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.

"We are stepping up a level and looking increasingly towards technology and design to play its part in the fight against infection."

Tags: MRSA & Hygiene | NHS | UK News

Printer friendly page