28 June 2010
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust is launching a new scheme to give patients, visitors and local people more information than ever before about healthcare acquired infection rates at its hospitals.
The Trust, which sees hundreds of thousands of patients every year, will today (28 June) start to publish weekly information about the number of cases of MRSA (bacteraemia) and C. difficile at Epsom, Sutton and St Helier hospitals.
The initiative gives people access to 'real-time' information about healthcare acquired infections in the hospitals. The dedicated section of the Trust's website includes the Trust's weekly infection rates, including a running total for the year and comparisons with years gone by.
Visitors to the site will find simple explanations, in plain English, of what the statistics mean, such as why certain infections are higher in some areas of the Trust and at certain times of year. It also includes important advice about how patients and visitors can protect themselves against infections and what they can do to stop them spreading.
The move comes as the Trust celebrates another record year in 2009-10, with cases of MRSA (bacteraemia) down 65% since 2004. In addition, cases of C. difficile have been cut from 268 in 2007-08 to 112 last year.
Samantha Jones said: "If you ask anyone what's important to them about hospitals, you will often hear similar answers - and more often than not, infections are high up on the list. And that's why preventing and controlling healthcare acquired infections is our number one priority.
"Our staff have worked extremely hard in recent years to drive down the number of infections we have in our hospitals each year, with our lowest figures ever last year. However, there is much more work to be done and we can't be complacent.
"Publishing our figures on a weekly basis is important. It allows patients, visitors and local people to know how we are doing. It will also help them to understand the challenges we face in controlling and preventing infections like MRSA and what they can do to help minimise the risk to themselves and patients in hospital."
