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ICNA News |
SURVEY FINDS 8.2% OF PATIENTS HAVE
HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATED INFECTION
New figures released today by the Hospital Infection Society show that of
patients surveyed in 190 acute hospitals in England in 2006, 8.2% had a healthcare associated Infection (HCAI).
In the first national prevalence study conducted in 1980 in 43 hospitals, 9.2%
of patients were found to have a HCAI. In the second national study
conducted in 1993/4 in 157 hospitals 9.0% of patient were found to have an
HCAI.
The most common infections were surgical site infections, gastro-intestinal infections, urinary tract infections, and pneumonia. MRSA was present in 1.3% of patients surveyed (0.2% of patients had an MRSA bacteraemia),while C.difficile was seen in 2% of patients.
The survey was funded by the Department of Health (England) as part of efforts to better understand the prevalence of HCAIs and to inform action to tackle these infections.
Acute hospitals in England volunteered to take part in the survey, and it
involved over 58,000 patients. Parallel surveys were carried out in Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, giving this prevalence survey a unique snapshot look at the situation facing hospitals. Health Protection
Scotland is performing a comparable survey. Their results will be available
later in the year.
Judy Potter, of the Infection Control Nurses Association, said today, �The fact
that so many hospitals across the UK and Republic of Ireland took part shows
just how important healthcare staff across the country view the issue of
healthcare associated infection and the value of taking a collaborative
approach across the UK and Ireland in order to beat HCAI.
The prevalence survey was carried out to establish the number of patients in
acute hospitals who had or were being treated for an infection which they
didn�t have on admission to hospital at the time data was collected. Data was
also collected on risk factors for infection and the utilisation of medical
devices. This information can also be used to focus efforts to reduce the
burden of HCAI�.
Hospitals that participated in the scheme have access to their own results via a secure web-based system hosted by the National Public Health Service for Wales, which will identify the wards and specialties where infections were found, and the numbers and types of infection in their hospitals.
Dr Spencer of the Hospital Infection Society, said, �The web-based system we
have developed for participating hospitals will help them to plan their infection control strategies and focus on areas of local concern. This will benefit patients and allow hospitals to give the best care possible.�
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 Oxoid Infection Control Team of the Year Awards 2006/2007 Winners AnnouncedOxoid, a world leader in microbiology, is pleased to announce the winners of the 2006/2007 Oxoid Infection Control Team of the Year Awards:
1st Prize: Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
2nd Prize: Cho Ray Hospital, Vietnam
Joint 3rd Prize: Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
1st: Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
The judges were unanimous in their decision to award t... More
More action to tackle C.Difficile as MRSA numbers continue to fall The Government's Chief Nursing Officer today welcomed a further reduction in MRSA bloodstream infections and announced the latest in a raft of measures to drive down rates of C.difficile in hospitals.
Latest statistics from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show a decrease of 6.7% in MRSA bacteraemia on the last published quarterly data, while C difficile infections for 2006 were 7.6% higher than 2005, a smaller increase than in the previou... More
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