Praise as superbug infection rate falls

The number of superbug infections at Stafford Hospital has fallen dramatically in a year, according to the latest figures.

The hospital recorded a 67 per cent fall in cases of MRSA in the last 12 months compared to the previous year. For the year ending March 31, 2010, the hospital had just three MRSA infections, against a target of 12. During the same period there were 37 cases of clostridium difficile in the trust, against a target of 100. In 2008-09, there were 138 cases.

Bosses at the hospital have praised the efforts of cleaning staff and nurses in helping to reduce the number of infections, but said one infection was still one too many.

For the forthcoming year the trust has been told it must have no more than 80 c.diff infections and no more than three MRSA infections.

In a recent norovirus outbreak at the hospital which lasted from March 19 to April 7, 37 patients suffered with the virus in 10 wards.

The outbreak was described as "atypical", with not all infected people displaying the same symptoms.

Forty-seven staff reported symptoms and, of 13 samples tested four, four were confirmed as positive.

On April 7, the hospital was hit by a Group A streptococcal infection, with three patients being struck down several weeks apart. The strain is rarely seen and the hospital had to isolate patients, enhance decontamination and screen staff.

Trust chairman Sir Step-hen Moss said he wished to thank staff.

He added: "It is a good picture, but it is always easy to look at something like this and forget that one infection is one too many."

Julie Hendry, director of nursing, said two cases of MRSA were thought to have been brought into the hospital by patients, and the third was thought to have been a contaminated sample test as the patient was not positive for MRSA in later tests.