Drive to cut hospital infections launched

The Chief Medical Officer is set to spearhead a new drive to tackle the problems associated with infections picked up in hospitals – or healthcare associated infections (HCAIs).

Alongside action to target problem areas and step up monitoring of infections, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson has begun a process of gathering evidence from other countries to see what experience foreign healthcare systems have in tackling HCAIs and what the UK could learn from them.

A long-term strategy to prevent and reduce HCAIs in the NHS will be published in September.

Alongside this long term strategy, Sir Liam announced two further medium-term actions to help NHS staff in the fight against HAIs.

Firstly, NHS hospital pharmacists will receive £12 million over the next three years to monitor and control more carefully the use of antibiotics.

It is believed that infections caused by organisms such as MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) have evolved resistance to certain antibiotics because they have been prescribed too widely over recent decades. More careful use of antibiotics is a vital part of preventing the development of further resistance amongst bacteria.

Secondly, the government's existing system of mandatory reporting, which checks on the national level of HCAIs, is to be extended. From July, NHS Trusts in England will have to report to the Health Protection Agency any bloodstream infection caused by enterococci resistant to the glycopeptide group of antibiotics and serious untoward incidents associated with hospital infections - such as the temporary closure of wards because of gastro-enteritis outbreaks.

This extension of the surveillance system will help the NHS monitor trends and take action to minimise the risk of infection to patients, staff and visitors.

Announcing the moves today, Sir Liam said: "Common sense tells us that the cleanliness of our hospitals plays a part in infection control. But the scientific basis for that link is far from clear and needs more investigation. Similarly, we need to look at how infections move from person to person. Do staff, for example, have easily accessible facilities to disinfect their hands? Should visitors and patients themselves have a part to play?

"But more can - and will - be done. Over the next few months we will be discussing these issues with our colleagues both within the NHS and from abroad."

However, Shadow Health Secretary Dr Liam Fox said that the move was inadequate.

He added: “Simple rules of hygiene, rather than doling out packets of money from Whitehall and collecting anecdotal evidence from the continent, is what the focus should really be on.

“With more than 5000 people a year dying from MRSA, patients deserve meaningful action, not gimmicks.”

(GMcG)