Tackling healthcare associated infections

7 Jul 2015 02:34 PM

Record figures, but still work to do

C. difficile infections in patients aged 65 years and over in Scottish Hospitals have fallen to lowest levels on record, new figures published yesterday show.

The figures on C. difficile show:

• A decrease across all age groups when compared to the previous quarter. In patients aged 65 and over the report confirms a decrease of 19.4 per cent. For patients aged 15 to 64 the report confirms a decrease of 29.5 per cent
• The report shows that Clostridium difficile infections in patients aged 65 and over are once again at their lowest level since monitoring began
• For cases of MRSA the report confirms an decrease of 35.3 per cent when compared to the previous quarter (Oct-Dec 14, Q4). For MSSA the report confirms an increase of 3.8 per cent when compared to the previous quarter. This means that for total Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream (SAB) infections, there was a decrease of 1.3 per cent. These figures are in line with seasonal trends
• Cases of MRSA having have reduced by 87 per cent and cases of C. difficile by 86 per cent since the beginning of 2007

Commenting, Public Health Minister Maureen Watt said:

“There is no doubt we have made considerable progress on tackling healthcare associated infections across our NHS.

“These figures show further reductions. C. difficile levels are at the lowest on record and we have seen huge reductions across the board since 2007. That is a tribute to the hard work of staff at all levels in our NHS, who are doing all they can to ensure we have some of the safest hospitals in the world.

“But there is more we must do. We will continue to work closely with Health Protection Scotland and the Healthcare Associated Infection Task Force to carry on reducing these infections and support health boards deliver further improvements for patients.

“We are taking forward the recommendations which came out of the Vale of Leven report to improve the systems in place – such as creating local infection taskforces and working to give Healthcare Environment Inspectorate the power to close wards to new admissions.”

Background:

The full report can be read here: http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/news/newsdetail.aspx?id=21031