MRSA Action UK: 18,298 recorded deaths to MRSA and Clostridium difficle

Friday, 23, May 2008 12:00

The Office for National Statistics has published the numbers of recorded deaths from MRSA and Clostridium difficile mentioned on death certificates issued in the four years from 2002 – 06. For the first time hospitals are named individually. Worryingly, there is an increasing trend of 50% in some hospitals when comparing the numbers of deaths over the two periods measured.

The combined figures show the numbers of deaths from MRSA and Clostridium difficile as shocking, and demonstrate that infection prevention and control mechanisms are clearly failing to keep these bacteria in check. When you consider that a third of trusts have already failed to meet the target to reduce MRSA by half the number in 2004, and that some of these trusts are showing the higher death rates, it can only be surmised that death rates will continue to rise, as those who contract a bloodstream infection have a greater mortality rate.

In one hospital the combined increase in deaths from MRSA and Clostridium difficile, over the period measured was a staggering 146 deaths, compared to Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells, at 74 deaths. This throws into question the opinion of the Health Secretary Alan Johnson, that the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells tragedy was an isolated example of a failing hospital.

Some hospitals are managing to reduce the numbers of deaths from MRSA and Clostridium difficile to very low levels in spite of having high mortality rates from other illnesses. However in some of these trusts there is little improvement in bacteraemia levels when analysing the last quarter’s data, so this calls into question the accuracy of recording on death certificates, and the true scale of the death toll to MRSA and Clostridium difficile.

The conclusion from our analysis released in the figures from the ONS and from the quarterly figures to December 2007, is that the government have lost control in trying to reduce healthcare infections to the modest target that they have set. Our Charity believes that tougher targets need to be set supported by much stricter infection prevention and control.

MRSA Action UK will be requesting that our Government now bring together experts from those countries that have beaten this problem and kept their infection rates under control, and to follow their example by investing in and implementing much stricter adherence to policies they know will work.

Derek Butler

Chair

MRSA Action UK

Registered Charity No. 1115672

Telephone: 07762 741114

http://mrsaactionuk.net