12 January 2009
Cases of MRSA bacteraemia continue to fall at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals.
Figures released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed that the number of cases of MRSA bacteraemia at the Trust fell to seven between July and September 2008. This compares to a total of 10 cases for the previous quarter (April - June) and a reduction of 63% to the same quarter the previous year.
Samantha Jones, Chief Executive, said: "The ongoing commitment of staff and volunteers has allowed us to achieve so much but we are not complacent.
"Patients and visitors should be assured that infection control remains our top priority and we will continue to do all we can to build on these successes and further reduce healthcare acquired infections.
"I hope they will also see how committed and determined we are to ensure their hospitals are even safer places in which to receive high quality services.
"However I would remind patients and visitors that they have a vital role to play too. It is very important that they wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially after using the toilet and before eating."
The Trust has introduced a number of high profile measures in its fight against healthcare acquired infections, including:
-
Increasing the training given to all staff about infection control especially the importance of hand hygiene before and after clinical contact;
-
Daily monitoring of devices and drips to ensure that we are providing the best care to patients;
-
Introducing talking signs to remind ward visitors of the importance of hand hygiene;
-
Carrying out a regular audit of hand hygiene in clinical areas;
-
Extending our MRSA screening programme so that we can detect and treat it quicker;
-
Undertaking a £300,000 deep clean of our hospitals and maintaining a programme of cleaning on the wards;
-
Carefully prescribing antibiotics.
In addition, the Trust is about to launch a major hand hygiene awareness campaign targeted at staff, patients and visitors.
