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| Survey shows hospital infections | Survey shows hospital infections |
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| Almost one in 10 patients in Scotland's main hospitals are carrying a secondary infection such as MRSA, according to new figures. | |
| The study found hospital associated infections (HAI) in acute hospitals cost the health service £183m a year. | The study found hospital associated infections (HAI) in acute hospitals cost the health service £183m a year. |
| Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said it was the most comprehensive study ever undertaken into the extent of infections in Scotland's hospitals. | Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said it was the most comprehensive study ever undertaken into the extent of infections in Scotland's hospitals. |
| She said infections are most prevalent in elderly, medical and surgical wards. | She said infections are most prevalent in elderly, medical and surgical wards. |
| The survey carried out by Health Protection Scotland, included every patient in all of Scotland's acute hospitals and in a sample of community hospitals. | The survey carried out by Health Protection Scotland, included every patient in all of Scotland's acute hospitals and in a sample of community hospitals. |
| It recorded the presence of all types of infections on the day of the survey. | It recorded the presence of all types of infections on the day of the survey. |
| It found that prevalence of HAI was 9.5% in acute hospitals and 7.3% in community hospitals. | It found that prevalence of HAI was 9.5% in acute hospitals and 7.3% in community hospitals. |
| Ms Sturgeon said the infection rates were a serious problem that had to be tackled. | Ms Sturgeon said the infection rates were a serious problem that had to be tackled. |
| Tackling hospital infections is not just the job of hospital staff Nicola SturgeonHealth secretary Health Protection Scotland HAI reports [PDFs] | Tackling hospital infections is not just the job of hospital staff Nicola SturgeonHealth secretary Health Protection Scotland HAI reports [PDFs] |
| "It is simply not good enough that 9.5% of patients in Scottish acute hospitals have some form of HAI," she said. | "It is simply not good enough that 9.5% of patients in Scottish acute hospitals have some form of HAI," she said. |
| "And the £183m cost to the NHS together with the massive human cost is also unacceptable." | "And the £183m cost to the NHS together with the massive human cost is also unacceptable." |
| Ms Sturgeon said the survey meant Scotland now had a more comprehensive picture of secondary infections than any other country in Europe. | Ms Sturgeon said the survey meant Scotland now had a more comprehensive picture of secondary infections than any other country in Europe. |
| The health secretary warned that the comprehensive nature of the survey meant Scotland's rates of HAI may appear worse than elsewhere. | The health secretary warned that the comprehensive nature of the survey meant Scotland's rates of HAI may appear worse than elsewhere. |
| But she insisted like-for-like comparisons with countries like England and Norway showed Scotland's rates were similar. | But she insisted like-for-like comparisons with countries like England and Norway showed Scotland's rates were similar. |
| She said a task force set up to tackle the problem would now examine the case for introducing an MRSA screening programme. | She said a task force set up to tackle the problem would now examine the case for introducing an MRSA screening programme. |
| It would also target skin and soft tissue infections, reducing blood stream infections and would try and use additional data to tackle infection rates in medical and elderly wards. | It would also target skin and soft tissue infections, reducing blood stream infections and would try and use additional data to tackle infection rates in medical and elderly wards. |
| HAI PREVALANCE BY NHS BOARD Argyll & Clyde: Non-acute 5.7% Acute 8.9%Ayrshire & Arran: Non-acute 7.7% Acute 5.9%Borders: Non-acute 10% Acute 7.3%Dumfries & Galloway: Non-acute 10.4% Acute 10.6%Fife: Non-acute 9.3% Acute 9.4%Forth Valley: Non-acute 9% Acute 12.2%Glagow: Non-acute 8% Acute 10.1% Grampian: Non-acute 4.2% Acute 8.7%Highlands: Non-acute 1.9% Acute 8.6%Lanarkshire: Non-acute 2.7% Acute 10.4%Lothian: Non-acute 12.3% Acute 11.3%Orkney: Acute 6.3%Shetland: Non-acute 9.1% Acute 7.4%Tayside: Non-acute 5.6% Acute 8.7%Western Isles: Non-acute 6.3% Acute 8.4% Source: Health Protection Scotland | HAI PREVALANCE BY NHS BOARD Argyll & Clyde: Non-acute 5.7% Acute 8.9%Ayrshire & Arran: Non-acute 7.7% Acute 5.9%Borders: Non-acute 10% Acute 7.3%Dumfries & Galloway: Non-acute 10.4% Acute 10.6%Fife: Non-acute 9.3% Acute 9.4%Forth Valley: Non-acute 9% Acute 12.2%Glagow: Non-acute 8% Acute 10.1% Grampian: Non-acute 4.2% Acute 8.7%Highlands: Non-acute 1.9% Acute 8.6%Lanarkshire: Non-acute 2.7% Acute 10.4%Lothian: Non-acute 12.3% Acute 11.3%Orkney: Acute 6.3%Shetland: Non-acute 9.1% Acute 7.4%Tayside: Non-acute 5.6% Acute 8.7%Western Isles: Non-acute 6.3% Acute 8.4% Source: Health Protection Scotland |
| Ms Sturgeon added: "Tackling hospital infections is not just the job of hospital staff. Everyone has a key role to play in preventing the spread of infection - patients, visitors and staff alike." | Ms Sturgeon added: "Tackling hospital infections is not just the job of hospital staff. Everyone has a key role to play in preventing the spread of infection - patients, visitors and staff alike." |
| The survey found almost all of the infections of the superbug clostridium difficile were found in elderly and medical wards. | The survey found almost all of the infections of the superbug clostridium difficile were found in elderly and medical wards. |
| Previous studies have only managed to estimate the scale of the problem. | Previous studies have only managed to estimate the scale of the problem. |
| Tory health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon said: "I hope that the HAI taskforce will recommend procedures to include healthcare acquired infections on a death certificate when it has been a significant contributory cause of death." | Tory health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon said: "I hope that the HAI taskforce will recommend procedures to include healthcare acquired infections on a death certificate when it has been a significant contributory cause of death." |
| Labour's health spokesman Andy Kerr said: "Nicola Sturgeon's commitment to reducing hospital acquired infections in Scotland's hospitals is undermined by the SNP's long history of knee-jerk reactions and their inability to understand complex health issues." | Labour's health spokesman Andy Kerr said: "Nicola Sturgeon's commitment to reducing hospital acquired infections in Scotland's hospitals is undermined by the SNP's long history of knee-jerk reactions and their inability to understand complex health issues." |
| Cathy Miller, a nurse based at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, said part of the problem was due to nurses having to wash their own uniforms. | Cathy Miller, a nurse based at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, said part of the problem was due to nurses having to wash their own uniforms. |
| "This is the most penny-pinching thing I have ever heard," she said. "Now is that tackling hospital acquired infections when we're doing things like that?" | "This is the most penny-pinching thing I have ever heard," she said. "Now is that tackling hospital acquired infections when we're doing things like that?" |
| She said nurses were doing the best job they could with the staffing levels available, and added that contracting out cleaning services to private companies had not helped the matter. | She said nurses were doing the best job they could with the staffing levels available, and added that contracting out cleaning services to private companies had not helped the matter. |
| Prof Curtis Gemmell, a national adviser on MRSA and hospital infections, said the problem had been made worse by improper use of antibiotics. | Prof Curtis Gemmell, a national adviser on MRSA and hospital infections, said the problem had been made worse by improper use of antibiotics. |
| He said: "The organism has developed resistance to many of the antibiotics we use in hospital." | He said: "The organism has developed resistance to many of the antibiotics we use in hospital." |