MRSA Action UK: NHS Foundation Trusts abject failure to reduce MRSA BY 50 per cent

The latest report from Monitor the regulatory body that reviews the progress of NHS Foundation Trusts has just released its latest findings. Whilst the review of the last 12 months for these trusts shows some progress on their performance as a whole, the most worrying aspect of the review is the abject failure of almost 40% of these trust to meet the 50% reduction in Blood stream MRSA numbers set by the then Health Secretary John Reid in March 2004.

That 50% reduction was to have been achieved by March of this year and despite the Governments claims to be on target to achieve this figure, the latest review by Monitor on what is by the Governments own Flagship Trusts shows quite clearly not only the Governments own abject failure, but that of both the Ministers Charged with the Nations Health, but that also of the NHS.

On the 2nd June, the day before our own Memorial at Westminster Abbey the Government and the NHS will be celebrating 60 years of the NHS. Whilst there is much to celebrate in the achievement of this public institution we must not forget the very high cost paid by those that have used this service in those that have suffered and been lost to avoidable Healthcare Infections. Having 36 out of 89 Foundation Trusts breaching a target that was not even challenging in reducing by half their MRSA bacterimia’s is no cause for celebration. The NHS was introduced by radical thinking and political courage which is very much lacking from those who are elected and charged with the Health of this nation.


Derek Butler
Chair
MRSA Action UK
Registered Charity No 1115672
Tel No 07762 741114

http://mrsaactionuk.net