TRUST MAKES STEADY PROGRESS IN CONTROLLING INFECTION
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has welcomed the publication of the latest figures showing substantial reductions in the incidence of both MRSA and Clostridium difficile at the hospital.
The Trust has recorded a dramatic reduction in the number of MRSA bacteraemia cases, from 87 cases in 2006/07 to 23 last year, which is a 74 per cent reduction. In the quarter of the year covered by the HPA report, the Trust recorded three cases. There have been two so far since March 31.
With C.diff, the Trust saw a 13 per cent reduction in the number of cases last year and recorded a yearly total of 415 cases. The Trust has continued to see a month on month fall and, so far this year since March 31, has recorded 25 cases compared to 133 during the same period last year.
The Trust’s Director of Nursing, Dr Geraldine Walters, said: “We are pleased with the progress being made which is due to the hard work of the infection control teams and the continuing vigilance of all staff.
“Controlling hospital-acquired infections is a top priority for the Trust and it is gratifying to see real progress being made. Earlier this year, key parts of the hospital were deep cleaned and this programme will continue on an on-going basis. We also had a very positive report from the Healthcare Commission following an unannounced inspection of cleanliness and infection control systems earlier in the year.
“Our aim remains to improve the environment of the hospital and make it a cleaner and more pleasant place to stay in as a patient.”
Notes to editors
- For more information, please contact contact the Communications Unit on 020 8725 5151 or emailcommunications@stgeorges.nhs.uk Outside working hours, please page us by calling 07699 119700, leaving a short message and contact details for pager SG548.
- The quarterly reporting results can be found on the Health Protection Agency’s website at www.hpa.org.uk
- On 6 June 2008, the Healthcare Commission gave St George’s the top score of a triple green light after an assessment against national measures aimed at reducing hospital-acquired infections. The Trust was scrutinised by the health watchdog during an unannounced inspection in March. The inspections assess trusts against a minimum of three out of the 11 duties under the Hygiene Code. This code came into force in 2006 and gave the Healthcare Commission new powers to make sure that trusts are doing all they can to ensure that patients are cared for in a clean and safe environment.
Since January 2008, the results of the inspections have been given in a traffic light system. Red means immediate action must be taken, orange that areas for improvement have been identified. Green means a trust has no breaches and that the Commission will take no further action at this time.
After a detailed assessment examining how St George’s tackles infection control ‘board to ward’, the Trust was given green for all and judged by the Healthcare Commission:
- to have appropriate systems for preventing and controlling infections
- to be providing and maintaining a clean environment for healthcare, and
- to have adequate isolation facilities to keep patients with infections away from other patients.
