MRSA At Record Low For The Chesterfield Royal Hospital, England

Main Category: MRSA / Drug Resistance
Article Date: 05 Jan 2009 - 1:00 PST

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The Chesterfield Royal Hospital has recorded its lowest yearly MRSA rates since records began.

The latest statistics have been released by the Health Protection Agency with just ten cases recorded at the Royal in the year between April 2007 and March 2008.

And the news gets better with the hospital on course to do even better this year with only five recorded cases since April 1st.

Senior matron for infection prevention and control Diane Simpson said: "It's fantastic news and fully reflects all the hard work we've done in getting our hand hygiene messages across to patients, staff and visitors.

"Over the past two years we've launched a major Clean Your Hands campaign, the distribution of hand hygiene packs to all inpatients and the introduction of deep cleaning and hydrogen peroxide to the normal cleaning regime.

"We've also recruited a second consultant microbiologist, a specialist antibiotic pharmacist, the retention of a third specialist nurse and a number of new domestic and housekeeping posts to support the infection prevention control programme.

"On top of all that we've ensured that all staff have attended a presentation aimed at keeping a consistent hand hygiene message across the trust, highlighting common mistakes in an effort to stamp them out."

MRSA can live harmlessly on human skin and in the nose with roughly a third of the population affected. These latest statistics relate to the bacteraemia version of MRSA that is the most serious and relates to instances where the bacteria enter the system or bloodstream through wounds or a break in the skin.

Diane added: "It is compulsory to report these serious infections to the department of health but we strictly monitor all cases of MRSA, including those where a patient does not show signs of an infection.

"We will then commence special skin washes and nasal ointments to help prevent the more serious infections developing."

Over the past three years the Royal has seen these cases cut by two thirds with the hospital boasting the lowest rates in the East Midlands. This is particularly impressive as NHS East Midlands has the fewest number of MRSA infections in the entire country with only 48 cases between July and September 2008.

Chief executive Eric Morton added: "It's wonderful to see all of the hard work done by infection control and ward staff coming to fruition and the commitment shown by staff at all levels has been outstanding.

"We certainly won't be taking things for granted, the hard work has only just begun because we want to cut the infection rates further. Once again this reinforces the message to the people of North Derbyshire that the Chesterfield Royal Hospital is a clean and safe place to come."

http://www.cndrh-tr.trent.nhs.uk