The number of healthcare infections has fallen by a third during the last 18 months, Northern Ireland's health minister said today.
The volume of cases of Clostridium difficile and MRSA is down dramatically after health trusts introduced extra cleaning measures on the wards. Severely ill patients or those undergoing surgery are particularly at risk of catching the bugs.
“This is a major achievement, which has benefited patients enormously,” Minister Michael McGimpsey told a meeting in Antrim on infections. “I would like to congratulate all those who have played a part in this achievement, but I must emphasise that we can not be complacent and that there is still more to be done.”
Over the last 18 months, Clostridium difficile cases have fallen by more than 40 per cent while MRSA cases have come down by a third.
The Northern Health Trust was among the worst affected by the infections. In 2008 it emerged that Clostridium difficile was linked to the deaths of 16 patients in three hospitals in the area.
Across Northern Ireland, in the last three months of 2009 there were 142 cases of Clostridium difficile compared with 271 in the same period in 2008.
There is now a strict policy of medics washing their arms and hands from the elbows down regularly. The Northern Trust has had an infection control plan for many years including segregating those at risk.
It also screens for the carriage of MRSA in high risk patients on admission and all patients in intensive care unit (ICU) and the neonatal Unit at admission and on a weekly basis thereafter.
PA