MRSA Action UK calls for full publication of MRSA data to drive improvement

Friday, 4 June 2010 12:00 AM

MRSA Action UK has always held the view that information and communication is crucial to the continuing reduction in healthcare associated infections not just in our hospitals, but also in the wider healthcare community. Without it there is little prospect of making the necessary reductions that are needed to ensure no patient entering a hospital or receiving care in the community setting is put at risk from avoidable infections. It is important to understand that we can never eradicate all infections and bacteria; however we should strive to attain zero tolerance to avoidable infections.

The introduction of releasing more timely and detailed data not only brings clarity to this issue, it will focus the minds of those who are struggling to reduce infection rates.

The Government have made this information easily accessible at data.gov.uk and MRSA Action UK will continue to lead the way with its analyses and publication of the data in a format that is easier for the public to understand. This is not naming and shaming we want to highlight which hospitals need the necessary support to improve performance and match those who have achieved and are maintaining lower numbers of bacteraemias and Clostridium difficile, whilst providing transparency for the public.

MRSA Action UK does have some concerns, which have been highlighted with the way the figures are now released. Whilst it would seem that we are convincingly winning the battle to reduce MRSA, and that there are far more cases of Clostridium difficile this gives a false impression. This data reveals all recorded cases of Clostridium difficile, whilst the data accounts for only 6% - 7% of MRSA cases, leaving 93% - 94% of MRSA infections unpublished. That is a staggering 30,000 MRSA infections, bringing them more in line with the numbers of Clostridium difficile cases. We need to publish surgical site and catheter infections involving MRSA and other organisms to also include MSSA and E.coli.

No doubt there will be detractors to this initiative and I am sure we will hear that this is not attainable or an extra burden. This was said when John Reid the former Secretary of State for Health introduced the original target and data release for MRSA.

Yet in the 5 years since that original target was set we have not only attained it but surpassed it. We must consider how much money has been saved because of the current reductions in both MRSA and Clostridium difficile infections, hundreds of millions of pounds. It has freed up beds which would otherwise have been taken up by the extra length of stay for patients infected. Consider how much suffering these reductions have alleviated, and, more importantly how many lives have been saved because we took the tough decisions not to accept what many thought was inevitable with infection in our hospitals. There may be those who say that you have no choice which hospital to use in an emergency and that the figures are meaningless, hence why we must strive to make all hospitals as safe as possible.

Fighting healthcare associated infections will involve every tool at our disposal, information and communication being pivotal in achieving zero tolerance. No one has the sole solution to the infection problems in our hospitals, we do have however many dedicated people within the NHS, the Government and within our organisation who will continue to strive to drive these infections even lower.

Anyone who has attended our annual Memorial Event, and speaks to those who have been affected will understand why we cannot be complacent with these bacteria. Andrew Lansley as Shadow Health Secretary has attended and met victims of these infections, and knows only too well the impact they leave behind.

Derek Butler
Chair
MRSA Action UK
http://mrsaactionuk.net
07762 741114
derek.butler@mrsaactionuk.net

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