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Search results for "MRSA" AND "deaths"
7 records
found from year 2005
| View search results from other years: 2006 2004 |
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| Sunday, 30 October 2005 09:12 | | BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk |
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New figures published by the Scottish Executive which was a response to a written question by the Scottish National party’s Stewart Stevenson, shows that the number of hospital acquired infections were responsible for the deaths of more than 400 patients in Scotland last year.
The figures show that methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a superbug that does not respond to antibiotics, was a direct cause of 42 deaths, while clostridium difficile, a virulent stomach bug, was responsible for 98 deaths.
The death rate from MRSA and clostridium difficile has risen by more than 40% since 2001 and is marginally higher than in England.
The statistics will cause further embarrassment to the Scottish executive, which was forced to admit earlier this year that its £15m drive to tackle the menace of hospital acquired infections (HAIs) had failed to curb their spread.
Professor Hugh Pennington, the microbiologist and expert on HAIs based at Aberdeen University, said the death toll from both bugs in Scotland is unacceptable. “These figures are obviously too high, most of these deaths are preventable,” he said. “Both bugs have strains which have specialised in spreading in hospitals. If we had cleaner hospitals which dealt with infections more effectively then we could pretty well get rid of them.
“It is too early to say whether what we are doing now will solve the problem. I have my doubts that it will reduce the levels of MRSA to what we could reduce it to. Countries such as Holland and Norway have virtually eradicated the bugs from their hospitals”.
Margaret Davidson, chief executive of the Scotland Patients’ Association, added: “These figures are appalling. One death is too many, 400 are simply not acceptable. The Scottish executive’s initiatives have not worked and they must now do something to finally get rid of these bugs”.
Every year more than 33,000 patients develop infections in hospital. HAIs cost the National Health Service £186m and are responsible for the loss of 380,000 bed days every year.
The Scottish Executive said: “Across the NHS we have invested £15m in a comprehensive infection control campaign to combat the problem of healthcare associated infections. Good hand hygiene, prudent antibiotic prescribing and comprehensive staff training all play a vital role in controlling infection and we now have measures in place for this”.
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| Thursday, 16 June 2005 11:22 | | BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk |
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The Clostridium difficile bug, reported this week to have killed 12 patients at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital, is killing three times as many NHS patients as MRSA, figures have revealed.
Statistics show that there were 934 deaths attributed to C.difficile in 2003, compared with 321 attributed to MRSA in the same year.
Cases of C.difficile, which causes severe diarrhoea, stand at 43,000 in 2004, double the number from 2001. Deaths have rose by 38 per cent between 2001 and 2003, although this rise is partially attributable to better reporting.
The Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt announced earlier this week that she would launch an investigation into the outbreak of the infection at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
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| Tuesday, 26 April 2005 10:23 | | BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk |
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The Conservatives have unveiled a £10 million plan to fight methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) the hospital superbug.
Tory leader Michael Howard said the money would enable all NHS hospital trusts to implement state-of-the-art technology to identify MRSA by nasal swab testing "in a matter of hours as opposed to days".
Speaking at the Conservatives' media conference in London, Mr Howard said: "In the fourth richest country in the world, more people die from infections they've picked up in hospitals than they do on our roads. That's 5,000 deaths each year; each death a tragedy for a family."
He said the 10-point action plan had at its heart "a commitment to give power to doctors, nurses and local professionals. They should run our hospitals, not bureaucrats sitting in Whitehall".
The Tory leader went on: "Doctors and nurses know best how to care for the sick and to cure the ill.
"A Conservative government will trust them to exercise their judgment - not second-guess them at every turn with targets and initiatives.
"We'll bring back matrons - giving them the power to shut hospital wards and operating theatres that are infected with the superbug if they think that is what's needed.
"We'll expect hospital trusts to commit to high standards because we believe you cannot manage a problem without having clear standards”.
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| Monday, 11 April 2005 17:36 | | BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk |
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Hospital visitors are to be targeted by health officials in the battle against the MRSA superbug.
Visitors have long been ignored by hospitals in the fight against the superbug, thought to be responsible for 1,000 deaths a year, according to Patients Association chairman Michael Summers.
At a two-day Clean Hospitals Summit later this week, visitors will be urged to wash their hands before going onto wards. The roll of ambulances and better wound care will also be addressed.
Health Professionals and Politicians will attend the conference to discuss the way forward in dealing with hospital acquired infections.
Experts believe improved hygiene could cut deaths by 15%.
But Mr Summers expressed concern that visitors were not using the available facilities to help keep wards clean.
“We have the alcohol soap washes all over hospitals at the moment. Staff are using them, but I don’t think visitors are that much.”
“We have to change this, it is about time people visiting friends and relatives took responsibility. It is such a simple measure, but it could be vital.”
MRSA has become a key election issue with Conservative leader Michael Howard, whose mother died from a hospital infection, pledging to provide £52million to help wipe out the superbug should his party be elected.
According to a February report by the Office for National Statistics, deaths related to MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) doubled between 1999 and 2003.
However, the government claimed last month it was winning the battle after figures showed that the number of patients treated for the infection fell by 6% over the last year.
Mr Summers’ appeal received support from Jean Lawrence, chair of the Infection Control Nurses Association.
“Most wards have the soaps at the entrance – only the odd old building does not – so why can’t visitors wash their hands?”
“I would urge staff and patients to get them to wash their hands, I would tell them.”
The Department of Health stated that this was already part of the current NHS campaign.
An estimated one in three people carry the bug on their skin or in their nose, where it can survive without causing any ill-effects. It only poses a danger when it enters the bloodstream, usually through an open wound.
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| Wednesday, 23 March 2005 09:12 | | BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk |
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Luke Day who was born at Ipswich hospital's maternity unit on 2 February 2005 has died from Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus the MRSA superbug; he died 36 hours after his birth.
A post mortem examination, carried out at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London, found the cause of death was septicaemia caused by MRSA.
All maternity staff and members of Luke's family had been swabbed but no trace of MRSA has been found, Hospital officials admitted that despite exhaustive tests they were no nearer to discovering the source of the infection.
Luke's parents, Glynis Day, 17, and Kevin Fenton, 24, accused Ipswich Hospital, Suffolk, of a cover-up over poor standards of hygiene.
Glynis Day said: "I just want people to know what can happen.
"I want something done about it, even though it's not going to bring him back”.
Luke's father said: "I have no confidence in the NHS now - if I ever have to go into hospital I will be afraid. I would never go to Ipswich Hospital now”.
Michael Howard, the Conservative leader, whose mother-in-law died from the superbug, sent his "deepest sympathies" to the family.
"Cleaner hospitals are one of our five priorities," he said. "We have set out very clearly the actions we will take to deal with MRSA”.
John Reid, the Health Secretary, said that only one of 2,000 infant deaths each year was caused by MRSA.
"Our thoughts are with the family. I do not know any other details yet. No doubt the hospital will conduct its own inquiry”.
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| Friday, 25 February 2005 11:42 | | BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk |
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The Office for National Statistics has revealed the MRSA death rate has doubled since 1995.
Most of the deaths were in the older age groups and more were male.
Chairman of patient group MRSA Support, Tony Field, said: "This again illustrates the MRSA rate is on the increase and the authorities still haven't got to grips with it. However, I think these figures underestimate the scale of the problem."
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| Sunday, 02 January 2005 10:04 | | BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk |
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Every Scottish hospital is to be put on alert for a new superbug extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) which is resistant to normal antibiotics.
Currently only half of all hospitals are monitoring the deadly strain of bacteria, which is responsible for dozens of deaths across Britain each year.
In Scotland, the number of confirmed ESBL infections has risen almost tenfold since 1999. With 220 cases reported by June, the 2004 tally is expected to overtake the record 420 infections identified in 2003.
The rising rate of infection has fuelled fears that Scotland could soon be hit by an outbreak similar to the one that killed 28 patients in Shropshire last year. Doctors believe the official Scottish figures represent the tip of the iceberg. Because so few hospitals are monitoring the bacteria, it is not known how widespread the bug is or the number it has killed.
Microbiologists fear that unless action is taken to tackle ESBL now, the bacteria could pose as grave a threat as MRSA, which affects 10,000 patients a year in Scotland. Together with other hospital- acquired infections, MRSA is responsible for about 500 deaths each year.
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