Hospital Trusts Failing On Infection Control

Around a quarter of NHS trusts in England are failing to put adequate systems in place to tackle healthcare-associated infections.

The Healthcare Commission's annual health check ratings for every NHS trust found that 44 out of 172 acute and specialist trusts did not comply with at least one of the three core standards relating to infection control.

The Commission said these trusts need to do more on infection control but did not believe that patients should regard them as unsafe.

The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Northern Devon Healthcare Trust, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust and West Hertfordshire NHS Trust all received bottom scores in both quality of care and financial management.

Trusts were selected for inspection on the grounds of risk, using a range of information, including rates of infection, complaints made to the Commission and information from patient surveys.

Healthcare Commission chief executive Anna Walker said: "We recognise that patients are genuinely frightened of catching a superbug in hospital. Although most patients receive safe and effective care in the NHS, the risk of suffering an infection is higher than it should be.

"I want to reassure patients that improving infection control is at the very top of our agenda. We are already out there checking trusts and, from next year, we will check every single hospital trust every year to ensure that everything possible is being done to protect patients and the public from healthcare-associated infection.

"We will not hesitate to use our powers under the Hygiene Code or through investigations to require trusts to make immediate improvements in their infection control practices if necessary."

Ms Walker also said that a number of recommendations had been made to trusts following recent inspections, including giving priority to infection control; ensuring that processes are in place across the trust to control infection and; implementing good policies on isolation, appropriate prescriptions of antibiotics, high standards of cleanliness and training of staff.

She said: "There is no silver bullet for healthcare-associated infections. It requires action across all of these areas and relentless attention to good practice for every patient every time."

Health Secretary Alan Johnson said that he had asked the commission to re-inspect the trusts, which were failing on inspection standards.

He also warned that that the country's weakest performing hospitals could be taken over by other well performing trusts in order to improve patient care.

Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Norman Lamb said: "This report shows that many hospitals are still not protecting patients from the threat of superbugs.

"Hospitals are too often forced to prioritise meeting targets over essential basics such as good hygiene.

"When nurses are overworked and wards are filled to bursting point, one case of C Difficile can easily spread further with deadly consequences."

(KMcA)