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Top e-government news, updated daily, and regular features from the top people in the public sector.
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| Hospital hit squad takes on menace of the superbugs |
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An expert "hit squad" is to help tackle superbugs at a Greater Manchester hospital.
Tameside General will be the first in the region to have an intensive inspection from a specialist Department of Health team next month.
In February, the government announced it would be sending improvement teams into 20 hospitals across the country this year after the latest infection control figures showed worryingly high levels of MRSA and other bugs.
The trust was offered the extra support after falling behind in its infection control target - to have no more than 12 cases of MRSA blood infection a year - and bosses were keen to accept.
Senior nurse expert Philip Dylak said: "We have implemented best practice infection prevention and control across the trust but we recognise we can learn from the experiences of other hospitals to ensure that every possible measure is being taken to protect our patients.
"The expert team has worked with a number of hospitals and improved their infection rates, so we were delighted when they agreed to work with us."
After the visit the trust will draw up an action plan to help implement any improvements suggested by the experts.
Since January the trust has had two infection alerts: minor outbreaks of norovirus - which causes sickness and diarrhoea - and winter vomiting on general medical and orthopaedic wards in April and June. However, managers haven't had to close any wards.
Other trusts, especially Salford and South Manchester, have much worse records on infection - the 13th worst nationally according to latest figures - and both have had to close wards in recent months after serious outbreaks.
A woman died during a vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak at Hope Hospital in Salford in May.
The norovirus hit 19 out of 25 patients and 14 staff on the acute neurological unit.
South Manchester Hospital bosses had to cancel at least 50 heart and lung operations and close five wards after a similar infection last month. |
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