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New measures to deal with infection
11/07/2007
A task force set up to tackle healthcare associated infections (HAI) is to step up its work following the publication today of the most comprehensive study ever undertaken into the extent of infections in Scotland's hospitals.
Scotland now has a more comprehensive picture of HAI than any other country in Europe and armed with this information will be able to target measures to tackle hospital infection where they are most needed.
The National HAI Point Prevalence Survey, carried out by Health Protection Scotland, included every patient in every acute hospital in Scotland, and in a sample of community hospitals, recording the presence of all types of infections on the day of the survey.
It found that prevalence of HAI was 9.5 per cent in acute hospitals and 7.3 per cent in community hospitals.
The survey also reveals for the first time the true cost of HAI in acute hospitals - £183 million a year.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon unveiled the report as she visited an older people's care unit in Glasgow.
The study found that the highest numbers of HAI in acute hospitals were present in care of the elderly, medical and surgical wards. Almost all (92 per cent) of the Clostridium difficile infections recorded were found in care of the elderly and medical specialties.
Leading the work to tackle HAI will be the HAI Task Force, who will in future focus their efforts in the following target areas:
- Examining the case for introducing an MRSA screening programme
- Targeting skin and soft tissue infections
- Reducing blood stream infections
- Ensuring additional surveillance data are put to use in the areas of general medicine and care of the elderly
Ms Sturgeon said:
"Today's study is one of the most detailed of its kind in the world. For the first time, we have a true picture of the extent of infections in our hospitals.
"The comprehensive nature of the survey means that it may appear Scotland's rates of HAI are worse than elsewhere.
"This is not necessarily the case - like for like comparisons with other countries, including England and Norway, show that Scotland's rates are similar.
"But HAI is a serious problem that must be tackled.
"Scotland has a new government and it's time for a new approach to tackling hospital infections.
"I am determined that we will introducing more effective measures to combat HAI. A lot of good work has been done already and I praise the efforts of staff involved and the success of the HAI Task Force for these achievements.
"But it is simply not good enough that 9.5 per cent of patients in Scottish acute hospitals have some form of HAI.
"And the £183m cost to the NHS together with the massive human cost of HAI is also unacceptable.
"The survey has demonstrated that elderly people suffer most from these infections and I make the pledge today that elderly people will be at the heart of the Scottish government's policies to tackle HAI.
"Here at the Langlands Building at the Southern General I have seen the sterling work done by staff in preventing and dealing with hospital infections and I pay tribute to that.
"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.
"I am determined that the measures I have announced today will see HAI tackled with renewed vigour and will result in a downturn in infection rates in our hospitals."
The survey took place between October 2005 and October 2006 and included all 45 acute hospitals and 22 community hospitals.
The National HAI Point Prevalence Survey is one of the most detailed and exhaustive surveys of its kind in the world. It gives the Scottish government a baseline figure of the prevalence of all the healthcare associated infections in Scotland's hospitals, and, for the very first time, accurately establishes the true economic burden of HAI in Scottish acute hospitals.
The Scottish Executive's HAI task force oversees an extensive, high quality programme of action which so far has included developing an HAI code of practice, developing a national cleaning services specification, introducing a national hand hygiene campaign, introducing targets for board chief executives to meet and the introduction of educational initiatives like the Cleanliness Champions programme. The work of the HAI Task Force has been recognised and widely praised both within the UK and internationally.
New investment in tackling HAI beyond 2007-08 will form part of the spending review announcement later this year.
The Point Prevalence Survey will be carried out at intervals in future to evaluate trends in HAI.