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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 in MRSA success |
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Princess Alexandra Hospital has been recognised as one of the most improved trusts in the country in combating MRSA.
Recent figures show the Harlow hospital recorded eight cases of MRSA septicaemia (blood borne) from October 2005 to March 2006 - a total of 20 for the year 2005-06 - compared with the 44 cases that the trust had during 2004-05.
Hard work by the hospital's infection control team and increased capacity in the hospital, meaning that staff avoid having to move patients from one part of the hospital to another, have gone towards ensuring the trust now has a commendable record in infection control.
Dr Shico Visuvanathan, the hospital's consultant microbiologist and director of infection prevention and control, said: "We've done much over the past 12 months to try and make staff, patients and visitors more aware of the simple precautions that can be taken to control infections such as MRSA.
"We launched the Cleanyourhands campaign, promoting the use of the hand gel dispenser in every ward and department, assess patients on a regular basis to see if they're carrying an infection and use single rooms to care for MRSA positive patients.
"The gradual reduction in cases show these initiatives are beginning to work.
"Our clinical teams have made excellent progress and are working in partnership with the Infection Control Team to reduce hospital-acquired infection.
"We're very proud of the progress made throughout the hospital and, in particular, in the elective Orthopaedic Unit and Intensive Care Unit.
"Throughout the trust our in-house domestic teams should also be recognised for their role in improving hospital cleanliness."
The hospital's specialist Intensivist, Dr Jeff Phillips, is representing intensive care on the national steering group for reducing hospital acquired infection.
Dr Phillips said: "We've had no cases of MRSA septicaemia acquired in our ICU for the past year. All ICU staff follow infection control precautions and we're very pleased with our achievements."
Trust chief executive John Gilham said: "We've been continuing to drive home the Clean Hands message to staff, visitors and patients.
"There's no doubt the opening of the Jenny Ackroyd Surgical Centre has played a key role and it is with some pride that I can report that the dedicated orthopaedic ward in the centre, with some of the most vulnerable patients to infections, still hasn't recorded a case of MRSA in the 18 months it has been working.
"This is undoubtedly a credit to the medical and nursing teams on the orthopaedic ward." |
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