Hospitals see fewer cases of infections

Infection rates at Stafford and Cannock Hospitals have improved over the past year, according to the latest figures.

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust has reported reductions in the number of MRSA and C.diff.

The trust, which was heavily criticised by the Healthcare Commission for its "appalling" standards of care, reported nine cases of MRSA for 2008-09, down 59 per cent compared with the previous year and below the PCT target of 12. There were 138 C.diff cases – a drop of 25 per cent.

It means the trust has come in below the target set by South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust at 163 cases.

However, Stafford and Cannock hospitals have suffered outbreaks of the winter vomiting bug norovirus which closed three wards at Stafford in January, and Cannock Hospital had a ward closed due to the bug last month.

Improvements have been made to help keep the number of MRSA and C.diff cases to a minimum.

These have included the trust's continued participation in the Clean Your Hands campaign, and installation of motion-activated units which verbally remind staff, patients and visitors to clean their hands as they enter the wards, alongside floor signs highlighting the need for hand de-contamination.

The trust also ensures there is vigilant monitoring and constant checking of performance against required standards.

Helen Moss, director of nursing and governance at the trust, said: "All our staff, patients and visitors have in some way contributed to the reductions we have made through the year in both MRSA and C.diff associated infections.

"We have come in under trajectory for both infections in terms of the targets set by the PCT but we are in no way complacent and are working closely with our colleagues at the PCT to see how we can reduce our number of infections further.

"Our infection prevention and control team have worked very hard over the past year to make improvements to help reduce the number of MRSA and C.diff cases in our hospitals, and we will continue to make improvements in antibiotic prescribing and infection control practices," she added.