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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Fears over deadly hospital bugs | Fears over deadly hospital bugs |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The deadly Clostridium difficile hospital bug is on the rise, while MRSA superbug rates are falling too slowly to meet government targets. | The deadly Clostridium difficile hospital bug is on the rise, while MRSA superbug rates are falling too slowly to meet government targets. |
| The Health Protection Agency figures show the C difficile rate rose by 5.5% in England during the first three quarters of 2006 to 42,625. | The Health Protection Agency figures show the C difficile rate rose by 5.5% in England during the first three quarters of 2006 to 42,625. |
| The MRSA rate fell by 5% to 3,391, but if trends continue the target of halving cases by 2008 will be missed. | The MRSA rate fell by 5% to 3,391, but if trends continue the target of halving cases by 2008 will be missed. |
| HPA officials said there was still much to be done to get a grip on the bugs. | HPA officials said there was still much to be done to get a grip on the bugs. |
| It should be remembered that each of these statistics represents a person and family who suffer Graham Tanner, of the National Concern for Healthcare Infections | It should be remembered that each of these statistics represents a person and family who suffer Graham Tanner, of the National Concern for Healthcare Infections |
| Dr Georgia Duckworth, a hospital infection expert at the HPA, said: "While there are some encouraging signs in today's figures, there clearly remains much to be done. | Dr Georgia Duckworth, a hospital infection expert at the HPA, said: "While there are some encouraging signs in today's figures, there clearly remains much to be done. |
| "Cases of Clostridium difficile infection continue to rise - there may be some slowing down in the rate of increase, but it is too early to say for sure. | "Cases of Clostridium difficile infection continue to rise - there may be some slowing down in the rate of increase, but it is too early to say for sure. |
| "With MRSA rates we are still seeing a plateau rather than any significant decrease, but the good news is that we can now say with confidence that reported rates are no longer rising." | "With MRSA rates we are still seeing a plateau rather than any significant decrease, but the good news is that we can now say with confidence that reported rates are no longer rising." |
| Stiff target | Stiff target |
| In November 2004, then health secretary John Reid pledged MRSA rates would be halved by April 2008. | In November 2004, then health secretary John Reid pledged MRSA rates would be halved by April 2008. |
| But a leaked government memo, sent to ministers by a Department of Health official, has predicted it would only be cut by a third by then. | But a leaked government memo, sent to ministers by a Department of Health official, has predicted it would only be cut by a third by then. |
| Patients are being put at risk, yet the government seem intent on ignoring the reality that C. difficile, like MRSA, is now endemic in hospitals Andrew LansleyShadow Health Secretary | Patients are being put at risk, yet the government seem intent on ignoring the reality that C. difficile, like MRSA, is now endemic in hospitals Andrew LansleyShadow Health Secretary |
| Ministers have asked NHS trusts to set their own targets to reduce C difficile rates. | Ministers have asked NHS trusts to set their own targets to reduce C difficile rates. |
| Healthcare Commission Chief Executive Anna Walker said: "It's disappointing that trusts have not been able to make more progress, more quickly on reaching the target for 2008." | Healthcare Commission Chief Executive Anna Walker said: "It's disappointing that trusts have not been able to make more progress, more quickly on reaching the target for 2008." |
| And Graham Tanner, of the patients group, the National Concern for Healthcare Infections, said: "It should be remembered that each of these statistics represents a person and family who suffer the contraction of a healthcare infection that they probably did not have on admittance to hospital. | And Graham Tanner, of the patients group, the National Concern for Healthcare Infections, said: "It should be remembered that each of these statistics represents a person and family who suffer the contraction of a healthcare infection that they probably did not have on admittance to hospital. |
| "Sadly in a large number of cases people will have lost their lives as a consequence of these infections." | "Sadly in a large number of cases people will have lost their lives as a consequence of these infections." |
| The HPA did not look at deaths although figures from 2004 show that MRSA was mentioned on over 1,000 death certificates in England and Wales, while C difficile was listed on over 2,000. | The HPA did not look at deaths although figures from 2004 show that MRSA was mentioned on over 1,000 death certificates in England and Wales, while C difficile was listed on over 2,000. |
| Hard work | Hard work |
| Health Minister Lord Hunt said: "The NHS has been working hard to tackle infections and I commend those trusts that are showing improvement." | Health Minister Lord Hunt said: "The NHS has been working hard to tackle infections and I commend those trusts that are showing improvement." |
| He also revealed that NHS trusts had applied for 90% of a £50m government fund to help hospitals install new facilities to tackle infections. | He also revealed that NHS trusts had applied for 90% of a £50m government fund to help hospitals install new facilities to tackle infections. |
| However, Professor Richard James, director of the Centre for Healthcare Associated Infections, University of Nottingham, said the government's recommendation for universal screening of all new hospital admissions for MRSA was unfeasible. | |
| He said: "NHS microbiology laboratories are under-resourced to be able to take on this task which involves the adoption of new molecular diagnostics technology." | He said: "NHS microbiology laboratories are under-resourced to be able to take on this task which involves the adoption of new molecular diagnostics technology." |
| Professor James also stressed that the MRSA figures related only to blood infections and were therefore only a small percentage of the total MRSA infections in hospitals. | Professor James also stressed that the MRSA figures related only to blood infections and were therefore only a small percentage of the total MRSA infections in hospitals. |
| Andrew Lansley, the Shadow Health Secretary, said: "Conservatives have stressed the need for urgent action to tackle the C. difficile infection in our hospitals. | Andrew Lansley, the Shadow Health Secretary, said: "Conservatives have stressed the need for urgent action to tackle the C. difficile infection in our hospitals. |
| "Patients are being put at risk, yet the government seem intent on ignoring the reality that C. difficile, like MRSA, is now endemic in hospitals." | "Patients are being put at risk, yet the government seem intent on ignoring the reality that C. difficile, like MRSA, is now endemic in hospitals." |
| Members of the MRSA support group will meet Lord Hunt on Tuesday to call for more action on superbugs. | Members of the MRSA support group will meet Lord Hunt on Tuesday to call for more action on superbugs. |
| They say the NHS is guilty of "chronic inertia" and are calling on the government to consider a raft of measures aimed at combating the problem. | They say the NHS is guilty of "chronic inertia" and are calling on the government to consider a raft of measures aimed at combating the problem. |
| Illness | Illness |
| C. difficile is a bacterium found in the gut of up to 3% of healthy adults and 66% of infants, where it rarely causes problems. | C. difficile is a bacterium found in the gut of up to 3% of healthy adults and 66% of infants, where it rarely causes problems. |
| However, it can cause illness when its growth goes unchecked. For example, treatment with certain antibiotics can disturb the balance of "normal" bacteria in the gut, allowing C. difficile to thrive. | However, it can cause illness when its growth goes unchecked. For example, treatment with certain antibiotics can disturb the balance of "normal" bacteria in the gut, allowing C. difficile to thrive. |
| It can cause mild or severe diarrhoea, or in some cases severe inflammation of the bowel which can be life threatening. | It can cause mild or severe diarrhoea, or in some cases severe inflammation of the bowel which can be life threatening. |
| MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, but is shorthand for any strain of Staphylococcus bacteria which is resistant to one or more conventional antibiotics. | MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, but is shorthand for any strain of Staphylococcus bacteria which is resistant to one or more conventional antibiotics. |
| MRSA infections can cause a broad range of symptoms depending on the part of the body that is infected. These may include surgical wounds, burns, catheter sites, eye, skin and blood. | MRSA infections can cause a broad range of symptoms depending on the part of the body that is infected. These may include surgical wounds, burns, catheter sites, eye, skin and blood. |