Superbug infections halved

Superbug infections have halved in hospitals across Worcestershire with no cases at all so far this year, new figures have revealed.

Eleven patients tested positive for the superbug MRSA since April last year. There have so far been no cases of the infection during the first three months of this year.

The drop in infections has been put down to tireless work by staff at Kidderminster Hospital, the Alexandra Hospital at Redditch and Worcestershire Royal Hospital at Worcester.

Between April 2007 to March 2008 there were 26 patients suffering from the infection and for the same period in 2003 to 2004 there was a total of 57.

Chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust John Rostill said the success was down to "a zero tolerance campaign aimed at protecting patients against MRSA". He said this success had achieved a reduction of more than 80 per cent since 2003. It is the first time hospitals have remained clear for three months since monitoring began.

Mr Rostill said that he was delighted that they had now completed 120 days without a single case of a MRSA bloodstream infection.

Hospital staff say they are also well ahead of targets for C.diff.